


The Arrangement

by Polished07



Category: The 1975 (Band)
Genre: AU, M/M, also prepare yourself this is fluffy, kinda takes place in a historic parallel universe, maybe 1800s, sexual yes but also fluffy, there's no band its just matty and george
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-26 04:54:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 36,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7561219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polished07/pseuds/Polished07
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matty, as prince of the kingdom, is required to marry a princess in order to keep the peace. When Lady Catherine, his betrothed, comes to the palace to finalize their engagement and prepare for the wedding, a certain footman catches Matty's eye. </p><p>Confused, Matty tries to understand his lack of feelings for Lady Catherine, or any woman for that matter, and why he suddenly has such an attachment to this handsome footman...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Arrival

Matty stood in his room and stared at himself in the mirror. The prominent circles under his eyes stood out like a sore thumb against his pale skin. Not that he could be angry that he looked so awful today; he hadn’t let himself get any sleep the night before. Through the dark and quiet hours of the night, he had refused to sleep, instead letting his mind wander and race through all the possible outcomes of the morning. For a while he stared at the ceiling, and then the embers of the fireplace, and then the portrait on the wall. Not for any purpose though, as his mind kept itself occupied for hours on end.

Now the morning was here, the morning where his betrothed was coming to stay in the castle with him and his family for the remaining time of their engagement. He didn’t know anything about her, not personally anyway. She was the young daughter of some noble lord, and her name was Catherine. Matty’s parents had deemed her as a suitable candidate for their son, and now Matty was set to marry her. Not that he wanted to, but because the kingdom needed it, and Matty’s parents hoped the arrangement would bring peace. Matty could not have any less interest in this girl, and although his parents had assured him she was pretty, he wasn’t interested. He had never had the desire to marry anyone in the first place, but now this situation was thrust upon him without his approval, and he couldn’t despise it more. 

His valet returned to the room with his coat in hand. “Are you ready, sir?” He asked, a smile on his face, which Matty tried not to think about. He was well aware that everyone in the castle was buzzing with the arrival of the Hillertons, which only made him feel worse on the inside. Perhaps something was wrong with him, maybe he should be happy, too. He only felt guiltier about it though, and his cheeks burned and his stomach lurched at the thought of letting everyone down and appearing like a foolish brat. 

He nodded in response, unable to speak past the knot forming in his throat, and let the valet slide his coat on and fasten it in the front. 

“Your father is waiting downstairs for you, sir, when you’re ready.” 

Matty nodded firmly, determined to not let his inner turmoil show, and made his way out of his room. 

His father waited at the bottom of the stairs, along with his mother and younger sister. His mother and sister chatted politely, their tones conveying excitement, but his father stood with his hands behind his back and his normal scowl across his face. 

Matty wasn’t scared of his father, not really, but he also knew there were certain things to never be done or said around the king. Showing fear was one of them. Matty was extra aware of his clammy hands, and even more of the weight on his cheeks that prevented him from smiling. Something about today removed any kind of joy Matty could feel. He would rather get the day over with and bury it in the back of his memories. 

“My darling, you look so handsome,” his mother greeted as she braced her hands on his shoulders and looked over him fondly. She kissed his cheek lightly. “I never thought this day would come so soon, but I am so very proud of you.” 

Matty disguised his grimace. 

His father looked over his son and pressed his lips together. “Very well,” he said. “They are on their way in, let’s meet them in the courtyard.” 

The family went to the front of the castle, Matty’s parents walking together arm in arm, and Matty and his sister following behind, just out of earshot. 

“You look miserable,” Genevieve breathed, casting him a sideways glance. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders pleasantly in perfect ringlets, and her dress was crimson and gold, matching Matty’s jacket with their family colors. “You sure about this?” 

He grit his teeth, trying to keep himself from breaking down and telling his sister everything he was feeling. How he wasn’t excited, how he hadn’t gotten any sleep, how he so desperately wanted to tear off his stupid formal clothes and return to his room and never worry about this Lady Catherine again, but he had no other choice but to keep walking with a stern face. On any other occasion, he would have told her everything, as he always did, but today was not one of those days. 

“Whatever makes the family happy,” he muttered, keeping his eyes ahead and teeth clenched. Genevieve knew him well enough to see through his mask of calmness, and took his arm in hers, squeezing comfortingly. Matty was grateful that at least one person understood his apprehensiveness over the situation. 

They arrived outside just in time, as a line of carriages pulled by horses arrived. Matty knew he should have felt butterflies in this moment, but his stomach gave another uncomfortable churn. The chilled autumn air felt exceptionally cold against his pale sweaty skin. 

A servant opened the first carriage, and out stepped the Hillerton family. The father first, then mother, and finally their daughter, Catherine. Each family was introduced in turn to the other, and greetings were exchanged with pleasant handshakes and polite kisses. 

Matty kissed Catherine’s hand when it was his turn, and by doing so looked into her face for the first time. She was pretty, as his parents had promised, but that didn’t make him feel any better. She had blonde hair, curled similarly to Genevieve’s, and bright green eyes. 

For some reason, he had expected her to be a giddy young girl who would giggle and blush when he made her acquaintance, but she wasn’t. She simply smiled politely and continued down the line to introduce herself to Genevieve.

The presence of normality in his betrothed was somewhat comforting to him, and perhaps they even shared the same disgust with one another, but Matty knew that it wouldn’t help anything at this point. Their engagement had already been announced to the public, and he knew that the safety of the kingdom relied on their unity. 

The Hillertons followed Matty’s family inside for tea. Matty walked stiffly, feeling like everyone was watching him, which he hated. He made sure to allow himself to be as far away from Lady Catherine as his manners allowed.

During tea, the parents of the betrothed kept up the conversation, much to Matty’s satisfaction. His tiredness had caught up with him quickly, and he was dangerously close to nodding off in the middle of listening to his parents’ conversation. 

In order to keep his mind occupied, he tried to focus his attention elsewhere, out the window, at the fireplace, at the footmen serving the tea and cakes. There were a few new faces around, which he assumed were the servants the Hillertons had brought with them. They seemed to have proper manners as they made their rounds around the room, serving without bothering. 

Matty liked watching the footmen, as he always had. They proved to be an adequate distraction when his father was ranting on and on about politics during dinner or tea time. Matty understood how the servants did their jobs exceptionally well after many years of observing, like how they prepared trays and how they communicated with minimal noise. He made a point of knowing all of their names and positions, even if he rarely ever spoke to them. 

Today was different, though. Usually there was a calming routine to watching the footmen of the household because Matty knew which footmen did which task. Today, there was an abundance of new faces and new routines to keep him especially occupied. An exceptionally tall one caught his eye, as he had never seen anyone quite his size. He had light brown hair and dark brown eyes, and his face remained steady as he stood by the fireplace. Very professional, Matty thought. 

He kept his eyes on this man, surveying him up and down a few times. Matty loved the way his uniform looked on his muscular body, how it fit him well enough for Matty to see his angles and curves. He hadn’t realized how long he’d been staring before he noticed that the footman was looking back at him. Subtly, of course, just his eyes tilted slightly in Matty’s direction, but Matty knew immediately that he had been caught. 

His cheeks blushed fiercely, not sure what to do, but he kept his eyes on this footman anyways. Their eyes locked for a moment more, pink tinging their cheeks in mutual embarrassment for being caught looking, but neither Matty nor the footman shifted their gaze. 

Matty was the first to look away when his name was mentioned in conversation, and he cleared his throat, hoping nobody noticed how little he had been paying attention. 

“...which is why it’s so important for us to keep the public up to date on the relationship of the young lovers,” his father explained. 

Catherine shifted in her seat uneasily, her eyes on the floor. Matty analyzed his parent’s faces in hope of catching up in the conversation. 

“We shall have stories printed in the papers about the wedding plans,” his father continued, “and make sure that the event is spectacular enough to keep everyone busy and distracted. Just what this country needs, a bit of festive celebration to calm the angry tides.” 

“A grand idea,” Catherine’s father replied. “We are beyond delighted that you have deemed our eldest a suitable match for your son.” He gazed amicably at Catherine. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Matty saw Catherine blush furiously, but she smiled. Perhaps she was excited for this wedding after all. 

Matty felt uncomfortable again, especially now that he wasn’t so sure of Catherine’s indifference. She seemed to be a perfectly lovely girl, yet here he was feeling ungrateful to be promised to such a woman. His head began to hurt as he internally yelled at himself for letting his parents, and country, down. 

His emotions bubbled to the surface in a way that he wasn’t confident he could keep subsided. His heart raced, his fingers went numb, his throat tightened as his stomach wrestled uneasily. He recognized the feeling all too well, and knew he needed to excuse himself quickly. 

“I have reading to attend to,” he blurted suddenly, hoping he hadn’t interrupted anyone. “If you’ll excuse me,” he stood from his chaise and roughly set his tea down on the side table. He avoided looking at his father’s face, which he knew was growing redder by the second as he deepened his scowl. “Wonderful to meet you all,” he stuttered, not even looking at the Hillertons, and turned to leave. 

He barely made it into his chamber before his breath escaped him altogether, his chest heaving for air as tears fell down his face. He shrugged out of his jacket and loosened the tie on his neck, gripping onto one of his bed pillows while he tried to calm down. 

He exhausted himself eventually, but the panicked feeling remained in his chest. He curled up in his bed and hugged his pillow to his chest, breathing deeply in and out. Every breath required his conscious effort, in and out. 

The afternoon and evening passed uneventfully, and Matty was thankful to be left alone. He hoped everyone else believed him to be busy, like he said he would be. 

A knock came suddenly at the door. Matty perked up, wiping his face of any remaining tear stains. He straightened his curly hair, which he knew was exceptionally messy without having to check. Nobody should have to see him like this. 

“Matty,” his sister’s voice called. “It’s me. Can I come in?” 

Matty fastened a few clasps on his blouse in order to appear proper before answering the door himself, only opening it a few inches. His sister was there in her same gown from earlier, and a servant was behind her with a tray of food. 

“I brought you dinner,” she said, smiling sympathetically at him. 

Matty didn’t say anything, but he opened the door for her. He would always let his sister in, no matter his mood. The servant placed the tray on his desk and left quietly, shutting the door behind him. 

Genevieve looked Matty over, from his red splotchy cheeks to his wrinkled clothing. “You’re not had a good day, have you?” she asked. 

“No,” Matty admitted. He wouldn’t have liked for anyone to know his poor reaction to the events of the day. Just his sister, because he knew he could trust her with anything. 

“Why don’t you tell me about it?” she offered, sitting in one of the lounge chairs by the fire and keeping her gaze on her brother. 

“Nothing to say, really,” Matty shrugged. He didn’t speak for a few more moments, but his sister knew he broke under silence, and that he did. “She’s perfectly lovely, isn’t she?” 

Genevieve nodded, but let the silence remain. 

“So then why do I feel so… indifferent about her?” Matty ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t want to marry her. I don’t want to marry anyone.” He sunk down into the chair facing his sister, kneading at his forehead with his hand. 

“Matty,” she said softly. 

“Don’t Matty me,” he snapped. “I know I don’t have a choice here, you don’t have to remind me.” 

“She doesn’t have a choice either,” she said. “Perhaps you should talk to her. She’s very nice. Funny, even. She sat with me at dinner.” 

Matty sighed, not feeling the least bit better. 

“You never know, she could be feeling the same way as you right now, but she doesn’t have her bedroom to retreat to when she’s overwhelmed. I really think you should talk to her.”

Matty grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, his hand still covering his eyes. 

Genevieve stood to leave, and rubbed Matty’s arm on her way out. “I’m sorry,” she said. “You should eat though, you’ll feel better.” She hung around for a moment longer, but then she left. 

Matty waited until he heard her footsteps retreat down the hallway before examining his food. Most of it didn’t interest him, but the soup was his favorite. He grabbed the bowl and a spoon and retreated onto his balcony, savoring the cool night air. 

Balancing the bowl on the handrail, he began to eat, watching the activity of the servants in the courtyard below as they finished their last chores of the evening before bed. He found comfort in the simple tasks, and he wished that his life was simpler and that nothing as extreme as marriage to a stranger was required of him. 

.:.

Matty managed to get to breakfast the next morning, much to his parents’ joy. He still couldn’t bring himself to participate in the conversation, despite the fact that it was his wedding being discussed. He focused on his toast and eggs, and made sure his mouth was full at all times so that no one spoke to him. 

About halfway through the meal, he realized that the orange juice had alcohol in it, so he drank at least three within the next fifteen minutes. 

He was pleased to find that the tall and handsome footman from yesterday was working their breakfast this morning, and Matty busied himself with watching him. They exchanged multiple secret glanced across the hall, and Matty felt the need to know his name. Perhaps the alcohol was making him more daring than usual, but he didn’t bother being secretive as he watched the man. 

“Matty,” his mother said, drawing his attention, “you should take Lady Catherine out to the gardens today. This may be our last nice day before the weather gets too cold for the plants to grow. You can make time for it in your busy schedule, right love?” There was no mistaking the sarcasm in her tone. She was telling him that he had better take her for a walk, or else. 

Matty heavily swallowed his drink. “Yes, Mother, of course.” 

“Good,” she smiled. “We’ll have some of the footmen escort the two of you, of course,” she added, “but the two of you take as much time as you’d like.” 

Her assertion of having a proper escort gained her some pleasant looks from Lord and Lady Hillerton. 

Breakfast ended all too quickly for Matty’s taste, and it was time to take Lady Catherine to the gardens. He seriously debated whether or not to feign illness to get out of it, but he figured he would have to talk to her eventually, so it may be best to get it over with. 

They kept a safe distance between each other as they walked down the path. His mother had been right; it was oddly warm today given it was the middle of autumn, but that didn’t improve his mood. Lady Catherine stayed quiet through the first bit of their walk. 

Matty felt like he should say something, anything, about the trees or flowers or shrubs, but his mind came up blank. He felt so incredibly awkward in the silence between them. 

“You are either too observant or shy for your own good,” Lady Catherine said, and Matty nearly jumped. He looked at her oddly, not expecting her to speak, and especially not for her to say something so straightforward about him. 

“Or perhaps both,” she added, sighing as she continued walking slightly ahead of him. 

“Have you been studying me, then?” Matty asked, taken aback by her astuteness. 

“It is hard not to when I am betrothed to a man who neither shows expression nor speaks his mind,” she said. “I observe out of self-interest.” 

Matty thought about her words for a moment. “I guess you are right when you say I am both.” They turned down a path that led further into the gardens. 

“You admit to it. So you have observed me as well?” she concluded.

Matty nodded, keeping his eyes ahead. “I have.” 

“Enlighten me.” 

He sighed. “You are either repulsed by the idea of an arranged marriage or you are too well mannered to admit your excitement,” he said. “I haven’t determined which yet.”

“My parents have raised me to put manners before all else,” she said as she blushed, and Matty’s heart sank a little. She was excited about being his fiancée. “An arranged marriage was not a situation I ever thought I would find myself in, though,” she admitted. 

“Me neither,” Matty added truthfully.

“I am a believer in making the best of situations, though,” she said. “We are both here for this country. We are to be married, and it would be best if we played the part. Ignoring what is required of us will only make it worse.” 

Matty’s hands became slick as she said this. She expected him to act like a fiancé, to be her companion and eventually husband. He wasn’t sure if he could do that without emotionally tearing himself to shreds, but he knew better than to disagree with his guest, er, fiancée. 

“Besides,” she added. “What’s not to be excited about? We may be strangers now, but that won’t last forever. I have hope that we will become close companions.” 

Matty smiled stiffly, hoping his emotions were kept hidden. He felt like losing it again, but he couldn’t do that here. She was a nice girl, smart too, but he felt nothing but repulsed by the idea of marrying her, which only made him feel worse about himself. What was wrong with him?

He took her arm for the rest of their walk, hoping that she thought he was making a kind gesture. She wouldn’t know that he was actually leading them on the path that got them back to the castle as fast as possible.  
.:.

Matty spent the rest of his day alone in his room, which was now his favorite place to be because no one bothered him. As long as they thought he was busy working, no one came to talk to him. His correspondence and books, however, remained untouched on his desk. 

For some reason, his thoughts kept wandering to the servant that he had seen over the past few days. The man’s height was something that had originally made him stand out to Matty, but now it was other things that made him so prominent in Matty’s thoughts. 

His eyes, for example, popped into Matty’s head every time he closed his own. They were so dark it was almost startling, but they made Matty feel warm inside. And his hands, the way they had poured Matty’s drink that morning…

Matty rolled over in bed, pressing his face into his pillow. This was ridiculous. His heart hammered in his chest like it did when he was nervous, but this was different. This felt… nice. Exciting. 

Regardless, Matty couldn’t distract himself enough to get the man out of his head, so instead he rang for his valet and requested that a bath be drawn for him. 

.:.

That night, as Matty dreamed, the man remained prominent in his thoughts. Matty was face to face with him, so close he could only see the man’s eyes, which were that warm and soft color that made Matty’s heart beat rapidly. 

He leaned back, expanding his field of vision, and discovered that he was actually sitting atop the footman in his own four poster bed. The other man didn’t have a shirt on, or pants for that matter, but Matty didn’t care, he was straddling this man that made him feel happy. The man gripped Matty’s hips and began moving Matty around on top of him, and Matty’s breath caught in his throat as he felt what happened between them. 

Matty woke with a gasp, still in his own room, but the lighting was different, and Matty was alone in his bed. His heart raced as he caught his breath, and he peeled the sheets away from his slick body only to find that he had made a mess of himself in his sleep. 

He fell back into his pillows, rubbing at his eyes as the images his dream had brought him played over and over in his mind. He didn’t want to forget it, scandalous as that may seem. It had made him happy, which was a rare occurrence these days. He cleaned himself up before rolling over to go back to sleep, hoping he would have the dream again. 

.:.

Matty was in an oddly happy mood when he attended breakfast the next morning. The footman had visited him one more time in his dreams that night, and Matty was hoping he would see him again at breakfast that morning. 

Much to his delight, he saw just who he wanted to see as soon as he entered the breakfast dining hall. He struggled to keep the smile at bay, but the corners of his mouth still turned slightly upwards. 

Lady Catherine mistook his smile as one for her, and she greeted him jovially. “Prince Matthew, how lovely for you to join us.” 

Matty reluctantly withdrew his eyes from the subject of his overnight dreams, trying to hold his smile in place as he greeted his fiancée. 

He seated himself at the table next to her with their families, and his breakfast was placed in front of him by one of the other footman. 

He spent the rest of his breakfast watching the servants as he had done before, but today he had eyes for one in particular. He mindlessly watched as the handsome man went up and down the table, refilling drinks and plates as needed. 

Matty drained his own glass quicker than normal in hopes he could get a refill. His plan worked, and the footman with the lovely brown eyes came over with the pitcher of juice. Matty blushed as he poured, and as soon as he finished, Matty very quietly said “thank you.” 

He didn’t think his words were audible. Certainly no one else at the table had heard him, but after a few seconds the footman’s face and neck blushed a bright red, and Matty knew he had been heard. 

The two of them continued to secretly exchange looks through the rest of the meal, Matty’s heart racing a little bit more every time. 

When the meal ended and he was required to go about his daily responsibilities, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it normally was. Whenever he got bored or nervous, he simply recalled the look of the footman’s brown eyes and then everything was alright again. 

.:.

Late into the evening, when Matty was sure everyone had already gone to sleep, he slipped on his boots and trousers and grabbed a candle to guide his way. Sometimes when he couldn’t sleep, he would take walks around the castle, and that was exactly what he intended to do tonight. 

He shivered as he left the warm fireplace in his room, and pulled his night robe tighter around his small form. The castle was completely silent at this time of night, which Matty found comforting. He contemplated going outside to explore the gardens on his own, but decided he wasn’t dressed warmly enough to make in an enjoyable walk. 

Instead, he set off down some of the smaller hallways downstairs, not entirely sure of where he was going but not really caring either. He would walk until he became tired. 

Footsteps approaching from the other end of the hallway reached Matty’s ears, and Matty felt the hair on his neck stand up on end. He had never run into somebody else before during his nighttime travels. He froze in his path, not sure what to do or where to go. 

The other traveler had a candle as well. Matty’s mouth went dry when he saw who it was. 

“Prince Matthew,” the footman said softly in an incredibly deep voice that matched his large size. The footman bowed his head in greeting. It didn’t look like he planned to stop and talk to Matty, but when Matty stopped in the middle of the hallway, he stopped too.

Matty observed this man, still unable to form a coherent response. The man was dressed similarly to himself, in a robe with pants and slip on shoes. Matty moved his mouth in attempt to say something, but nothing came out. 

“Are you alright, sir?” he asked, observing Matty’s lack of speech. 

Matty blushed, nodding. He mentally kicked himself for being so daft. 

“Can I help you with something perhaps, sir?” the footman offered politely. 

“N-no, t-thank you,” Matty said finally, his voice hoarse. Even though there was nothing scandalous about running into a servant in the hall, Matty couldn’t suppress the stark images of his dreams the night before. “I’m sorry.” 

The footman looked confused. “May I ask why?” 

Matty dryly swallowed. “I-I disturbed your evening w-walk.” 

The footman shook his head. “I’m having trouble sleeping. You haven’t disturbed anything.” 

The two men stood in silence for a moment longer, Matty avidly trying to find his voice which seemed to have gotten lost in his hoarse throat. 

“I’m sorry for taking up your time, I should be going,” the footman rushed out the words as he began walking again. 

“No, wait!” Matty exclaimed, desperate to talk to the man. “Please, what’s your name?” 

The man straightened. “George.” 

“George,” Matty smiled. The name felt wonderful on his lips. He was determined to stay with George now that he had run into him at such an odd time of night. “George, would you mind coming with me to get some water in the kitchen?” 

George held Matty’s gaze for a moment, analyzing his expression. “Yes, of course.” 

“Thank you,” the prince replied, and then began walking towards the kitchen with George close behind him. 

They walked for a little while in silence, but Matty was just glad for his company. 

“Sir,” George said quietly. “Today, in the dining room, you…” he trailed off. 

“I hope I didn’t offend you when I thanked you,” Matty said when he turned around. They had stopped walking now. “I just… I just felt like saying something.” His gaze held onto George’s, looking deeply into his eyes. While he felt as if he may be acting inappropriate, another part was unable to contain himself. He wanted George in his life. He tried not to think about the difference in their positions, prince and footman, but rather to see George as simply a man without that title attached. It was relatively easy for him at the moment, as they were just two men in pajamas. 

“You didn’t offend me, no,” George replied, nervously fidgeting with his fingers. 

“Oh no, I did, didn’t I?” Matty asked, his chest aching at the thought of causing the footman discomfort. 

“No, sir, I’m being honest, you didn’t offend me,” George said as he stepped closer to Matty and dropping his voice. “I just wasn’t expecting it.” 

“I see,” Matty replied, thinking back on breakfast. The danger of the situation suddenly occurred to him. He hadn’t thought about it before, not until he wanted to ask George if he wanted Matty in the same way Matty wanted him. Matty wasn’t even sure what to call it, but he had heard stories from his parents of men who had… broken the rules and weren’t heard from again. He hadn’t associated himself with those men until now; it only just now occurred to him now that what had been making him so happy for the past few days was a disgrace and against the law. 

“I should go,” Matty said suddenly, his eyes growing wide as he connected the dots. “We shouldn’t be here.” 

George’s face dropped as Matty said these words, but he didn’t get in the prince’s way. His posture became formal again, and his voice went stiff. “Would you like an escort back to your room, sir?” 

“No, no, I’m fine,” Matty said, already returning back in the way they had come. “I’m sorry,” he said, and hurried away. 

When he returned to his room, his heart was racing wildly in his chest for a few different reasons. First, because he had finally learned George’s name and had just spent time in his company. He had been so happy, his chest so warm to be around the other man, just the two of them. The memory of it made him go tingly inside. On the other hand, he had come to a realization that his happiness would never come into reality, not while what he wanted was so frowned upon by everyone. 

He went to his bookshelf and pulled down the volumes about law and court history, and began reading about everything he could get his hands on, hoping to educate himself further about the issue. Maybe, somewhere in all those paragraphs from old dusty books, someone would tell him what to do.


	2. The Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: quick nongraphic mention of homophobic violence

Matty avoided meals in the dining room the following day, and the day after that, and the day after that. Genevieve was sweet enough to send him a tray whenever he didn’t show up, but Matty was too busy reading to be distracted by food unless he was absolutely starving. 

He didn’t see George either, which both made him sad and grateful. Although he missed George greatly, he was beginning to feel more ashamed of his feelings towards the footman.

After going through countless books, he had yet to find any pleasant solutions to his problem. Men were either executed or exiled or suffered suspicious deaths whenever their relationships with other men became known. 

What Matty couldn’t understand was why all of the stories had such horrible endings. How he felt around George, how his dreams made him feel, none of that was unhappy. In fact, it was easily the best thing Matty had felt in a long time, so why did he suddenly feel so much hatred for himself because of how he felt about other men? 

He needed someone to talk to, someone he could trust. He debated whether or not to talk to Genevieve, as he trusted her with his life, but he knew that she wouldn’t be able to help him, even if he did tell her everything. He felt incredibly isolated when he realized his list of trusted people was so short. 

He thought back to his encounter with George a few nights before. Maybe he could talk about his feelings with George, but who was to say he felt the same way? Perhaps George would even report him and get him into serious trouble. Matty analyzed George’s body language in their last conversation, hoping for some kind of giveaway sign that he was like Matty. Nothing came to mind, though. 

He looked out the window of the library, noticing for the first time in a few hours the time of day. It was dark outside, and Matty presumed it must be around midnight. He returned his books to the shelves in his father’s massive library. He needed to talk to George; he wouldn’t have peace of mind until he did. 

The only problem was that Matty had no idea where to find him at this time of night. No doubt everyone had already gone to bed, and although Matty knew where the servants slept, there were at least fifty rooms down there. 

Accepting defeat, Matty decided that the only way to see George would be to wait until the morning. He returned to his chambers for the night, hoping that George would be at breakfast the following day. 

.:.

No one saw Matty write a note to George on a scrap of paper in his bedroom. More importantly, no one saw him slip the note into George’s uniform pocket as he served Matty his breakfast. The words Matty had written echoed in his head all through the meal. Meet me in the same hallway as before, 1am. 

He wasn’t even sure if George had felt the note being slipped into his pocket, but near the end of the meal, George caught his eye. The footman rested a gloved hand on his pocket for just a second, and then returned it to his tray. Matty breathed a sigh of relief; George knew Matty had given him a note.

Matty still had the whole day ahead of him, and he had to find some way to pass the time as he waited for 1am. 

Unfortunately, instead of spending his day doing something he enjoyed, his mother suggested that he used his afternoon to be Lady Catherine again. He tried to hide his lack of enthusiasm when the suggestion was brought up, but accepted that he would have no say in the matter. 

After lunch, the two of them walked again through the gardens, although it was much colder out than it had been the first time. She blabbed about the wedding, sharing both her excitements and fears, but Matty didn’t have much to say in return. His apathy had not lessened. 

They joined their parents again at tea time, where Matty was confronted again with endless talk about the wedding. He was so sick of it already, and he had barely known his fiancée for a week. His thoughts drifted to George, which was the only thing keeping him sane these days. 

When his mother started talking about grandchildren, Catherine blushed and smiled. Matty asked the nearest servant for a large glass of wine. 

That evening, he took another bath in attempt to pass the time, but also because he wanted to look nice for George. The nagging feeling of guilt in his stomach because of his sexuality hadn’t relinquished in the slightest, but he was getting to the point where he didn’t care. So what if it was wrong, it made him feel good. With every tea time or garden walk or silent dinner Matty had to sit through, the more he felt as if he deserved that bit of happiness no matter how scandalous it was. 

He scrubbed himself clean in the bath, made sure his skin was relieved of dirt or unpleasant smells and that his hair was oil-free for extra curl. The closer it came to 1am, the more excited he got, and the less he felt bad for his illegal intentions. 

His valet dressed him for bed, but then Matty dismissed him for the night, eager to let down the facade of being ready to go to sleep. He was nowhere near tired, not with the adrenaline rushing through him. 

He tried reading, but it didn’t hold his attention. Writing, drawing, nothing kept him distracted enough to pass the time efficiently. He moped around the room, cursing himself for not asking George to meet him at midnight or even eleven. 

Finally, when it was 12:45, Matty dressed himself in basic clothes before leaving the room: a loose white tunic, belted brown pants, his favorite pair of boots. He checked himself in the mirror before leaving his bed chamber, his candlestick lighting the way. 

For a moment, he worried that he wouldn’t remember the place where he and George had met last time, which only caused him to hurry more. If he couldn’t find the meeting spot, he would need the extra time to locate it. 

Breathless, he swept through the halls as fast as his legs would take him, his hands nervously sweaty and his heart pounding in his chest. When he reached the point where he thought they had met, it turned out he was right all along. 

There was George, also dressed down for the night, with his candle lit as he stood nervously in the hallway. His expression lit up when he saw Matty, and Matty felt like he would explode because George was happy to see him. 

“George,” Matty breathed quietly under his breath, relieved to see him in the hallway. As he approached, he suddenly became unsure of what to say or do. Neither a handshake nor a hug seemed appropriate, yet Matty felt like doing so much more than either of those. Instead, he settled for saying, “You’re here.” 

“Of course I’m here, sir,” George smiled shyly. “You asked me to be.” 

Matty looked up at the taller man, unsure of what to say. “You don’t have to call me sir, George.”

George paused. “Of course I’m here,” he repeated, omitting the sir, his smile widening as he said it.

Matty wanted desperately to tell George everything on his mind, yet he struggled to find his words. “I should have thought of what to say to you,” he blushed. “I thought about it all day but didn’t actually plan this out.” 

George blew air through his nose, still smiling. “Maybe I should say something.” 

Matty nodded, grateful for at least one of them for having their thoughts together. 

George stepped a bit closer to Matty, but slowly, as if he was testing the water. Matty didn’t dare flinch, in fact his body screamed for George to come even closer. He kept his gaze with George’s eyes, his heart racing and his breath hurriedly moving in and out of his lungs. 

The entire moment seemed surreal to Matty. Here he was in a hallway after midnight with this gorgeous man, about to risk his reputation and maybe even his life by continuing, but unable to do anything but let it happen because of the warm tingly feeling that surged through him. It made it all worth it.

George paused right in front of Matty, his head bent forward and Matty’s bent up. Matty could feel his breath on his face, and basked in the warmth radiating off of George’s body. 

Was this even real? Or was it just another dream where Matty got to be happy for a painfully short time before he was dragged back into consciousness where there wasn’t a single thing for him to enjoy? 

Matty glanced down at George’s lips, slightly agape and pink and waiting. Who cared if it was a dream or not, he knew what he wanted. Matty stood on his toes and pressed his lips to George’s. 

It was just for a second, enough to exchange heat and breath before Matty lowered himself off his toes and rejoined gazes with George. 

Matty was already breathless, his cheeks flushing in the dimly lit hallway. “T-that was a very good thing of you to say.” 

An exceptionally large grin broke onto George’s face, and his eyes softened, as if he had finally found something that he had wanted for a long time. He immediately bent back towards Matty, and then they were kissing again, actually kissing. 

Matty didn’t know what the hell he was doing, but he didn’t care. He loved the taste and feel of George and couldn’t get enough. He pressed himself closer, going up on his toes again, and moved his lips against George. He felt wet and warm and Matty couldn’t imagine anything better. He could barely breathe, but that was okay. He didn’t want to stop even if he was about to pass out. 

They broke apart naturally, their foreheads resting together as they each fought for breath. “We should go somewhere,” Matty suggested. “We should talk.” 

George nodded, equally as breathless. “I know where we can go.” 

“Lead the way,” Matty offered, and George took his hand before leading him further into the castle. 

Matty loved feeling the touch of George’s hand, grateful to have something tangible to keep him grounded when he felt like floating on air. 

They stopped in front of a wooden door, and it was unlocked. They went inside together, and judging by the faint light of their candles, Matty guessed it was a linen closet. George closed the door behind him. Both of them set their candles on a nearby shelf.

“How did you know?” George blurted, his face still bewildered from their kiss in the hallway. “How did you know that I like…” 

Matty shook his head. “I didn’t. I guessed.” He bit his lip and looked at the other man expectantly. 

George started laughing nervously, softly at first, but eventually into a full laugh that was music to Matty’s ears, and before he knew it, he was laughing too. It felt so good to laugh. 

“You guessed?” George laughed, his hand covering his mouth. “That was such a risky thing, fuck-” 

“Don’t remind me,” Matty smiled, feeling more comfortable in this linen closet than he had for weeks in his own home. “I just had a feeling, I don’t know.”

George shook his head. “Amazing.” 

“Kiss me again?” Matty asked, not wanted to discuss anything serious at the moment. He had only gotten a taste of joy so far this evening, but he wanted so much more. It was an addicting feeling. 

George was on him before Matty could say anything else, their lips crashing into each other again. Matty’s fingers gripped desperately at George, pulling at his back to bring them closer together. The thrill of it all was a high that rushed through him, and he didn’t want to come down. 

George moved his mouth down to Matty’s neck, and the smaller man gasped at the wet and warm feeling of lips on his neck. His knees went a bit weak, and he clutched onto George as if he was the only thing keeping him upright. Although he enjoyed the neck kisses, he couldn’t stand the absence of George from his mouth, so he eagerly pulled George back to his lips and kissed him hungrily. 

George pushed him back into a stack of clean linen, where Matty lost his balance and tumbled backwards, George following quickly behind. At this angle, Matty could feel every bit of George pressed against him, and he couldn’t believe how good it felt. 

George dove into Matty’s neck again, and the prince lost control for a minute, resulting in an erection forming between his legs, which the man on top of him could definitely feel. 

“Wait, wait,” Matty managed to say, sounding breathless as he angled his head and hips away from George. “I need a minute.” 

George didn’t protest, he just leaned back onto his heels and gave Matty some room to breathe. “Did I do something wrong?” he asked worriedly. 

“No, no, I’m just…” Matty struggled for air and words, trying to subtly tuck his erection under his belt so it wasn’t so noticeable. 

“Don’t worry about that,” George said softly, glancing at Matty’s waist. “That’s supposed to happen,” he chuckled. 

Matty’s cheeks burned bright red, the heat spreading over his face, neck and chest. “Sorry, I’m just… this is new.” He ran a hand through his messy curls, still blushing quite red. 

“You’ve never been hard before?” George gently teased, lying next to Matty on his side so that he was facing the prince. He hoped the humor would ease Matty’s embarrassment, and thankfully it did. 

Matty snorted. “Ha, please.” Both of them exchanged a knowing glance. 

George's expression remained gentle, and he remained patient as he waited for Matty to explain. Matty loved looking at him, still not believing that they were kissing on a stack of sheets in a closet. He blew a puff of air through his nose, shifting his hips. “It’s just, uh, you’re a boy, I mean-” 

“Oh,” George replied, understanding. He scooted a little bit closer to the prince on their stack of linen, supporting his head on his elbow so that he looked down at Matty. “Do you want to talk about that, then?” he asked. 

Matty tilted his head closer to George’s arm so that they were touching. “I don’t know. I just know that I like this.” 

George smiled. “That’s a good start.” 

“I did some reading about it,” Matty said nervously, “about people like me. Us.” 

George frowned, clenching his jaw in a quick pulse. “Not very joyous reading.” 

Matty shook his head. “No, but I don’t think it changes anything.” 

“Hmm,” George replied. “I remember when I first heard about it. It made me really upset.” 

“Who told you?” Matty asked. “When did you know?”

“When I was younger, the butler told me about a young man that had worked with him years ago...” he trailed off. “I didn’t think there were people like me.” 

Matty nodded. “I’m not quite sure what it all means yet, I’m still processing it.” 

“That’s alright,” George said comfortingly. “You don’t have to understand everything about it, I don’t think.” 

“I don’t even understand what this means,” Matty said, gesturing to himself and the man beside him. “It just is.” 

“We can try to understand each other a little bit more, if you want,” George offered politely. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I’m curious about you,” George said, shifting his position so that he could see Matty’s face better.

Matty snorted. “I’m not anything special. Just Matty.” 

“Just Matty,” George repeated. Chills raced up Matty’s spine as he heard his name, his preferred name, from George’s mouth, and George noticed. “Do you like being called Matty? I’ve never heard you called anything but Matthew.” 

“My sister uses it. Sometimes my mom when she’s in a good mood. I like when you use it, too,” he said, looking up at George through his lashes. 

“You are anything but ‘just Matty’,” George said softly, and pressed his lips to Matty’s cheek. 

Matty’s face burned under his touch, but he loved it. 

“Tell me more,” George asked, pressing himself closer to Matty’s relaxed form. “What does ‘just Matty’ mean?”

So Matty told him. He talked about his family, how much he loved his sister, how he was obligated to do as his father asked, how he was engaged to a girl he didn’t like. Finally, he added onto the end that he had a really big crush on a footman that worked for his fiancée’s family. 

George smiled at that, his own cheeks tinging pink. 

“Your turn,” Matty said, running his fingertips along George’s jawline. 

George sighed. “Not nearly as exciting as you. My parents worked for the Hillertons, they met, married, and had me. I’ve worked for the family ever since I came of age.” 

“Are your parents on this stay with you?” Matty asked. 

“No,” George said quietly. “They’re gone.” 

There was a sense of finality in the way he said it, and Matty knew his parents were dead. “I’m sorry.” 

George shrugged. “It was a long time ago.” 

Matty stayed quiet for a moment, not sure of what to say. “What about other boys? Have you ever met anyone like us?” 

“No,” George said, his expression shifting. “I thought I was going to be alone forever, until one day this boy with a bunch of curls kissed me in the hallway.” 

Matty giggled, reached up behind George’s neck, and pulled their lips together again. This time was a bit slower and more patient, but still enough to make Matty’s heart feel like it was about to explode out of his chest. When he got hard again, he didn’t try hiding it because he knew George didn’t mind. This time, George curled his hips into Matty’s, where Matty felt the other boy’s erection press against his hips, and Matty smiled into their kiss. 

.:. 

Matty woke the next morning feeling like he had just awoken from another dream with George. His swollen lips led him to believe otherwise. He traced a finger over his puffy lower lip, reminiscing in the feeling of George’s teeth dragging over it and immediately feeling warm inside. 

They had kissed for hours, just enjoying each other’s company as their lips and hands wandered over each other. Matty had wanted to go further, and tried fiddling with the hem George’s shirt to convey his desire, but George gently shook his head, insisting that they stuck with kissing for the night. Not that Matty minded of course, he just pulled George closer and continued to kiss him even after his lips had gone numb. 

Matty laid blissfully in his bed for a while that morning, trying to remember every word and touch and breath he and George had shared. When it got to be nearly time for breakfast, he rang for his valet to get him dressed for the day. He knew George would be at the meal, as the footman had told him the night before, right before they made plans to meet again in the linen closet the following night.


	3. The First

The days seemed to blend together as Matty spent more time with George. His mood greatly lightened, and he actually found himself smiling even when George wasn’t around. Suddenly the long days spent with his family and Catherine didn’t seem too terrible because he knew he had George to meet up with that night. Not that he paid any attention to his family or Catherine anyways; he was so sleep deprived that he could barely stay awake through the day. Most days he didn’t, and instead napped the afternoon away in his room. 

His sister noticed the change in his mood, but she assumed it was because her brother was growing more accustomed to Catherine and didn’t mind having her around as much. Matty let her believe as such. 

Matty had also taken a liking to high collars on his shirts and coats, not because of the colder weather as everyone probably suspected, but because Matty had to find some way to cover the love bites he had been given during the countless kisses he and George shared. 

Matty also started attending breakfast regularly, much to his family’s approval. Despite being as exhausted as he was, he gladly woke and dressed each morning to see George in the dining room. 

After breakfast on one particular morning, Matty’s father called for a discussion in one of the living rooms. Matty was too sleepy to even suspect that something could be wrong, so he finished his breakfast in peace and caught George’s eye one more time before leaving to meet his family in the other room. 

Matty sat between his sister and Catherine, yawning as he made himself comfortable. His father jumped into discussion. 

“The rebels’ anger is growing at an exponential rate. Just yesterday, there were two riots in two different cities. Things are getting out of hand, and we have to do something to return to peace.” He pursed his lips together and stared at Matty and Catherine. “Matthew, you are going to be king one day. You know what is required of you.” 

Matty’s heart sank. He was supposed to be planning a wedding, falling in love, giving the public a distraction. He had failed on all three fronts.

Catherine’s father jumped in. “We need to hurry the wedding along,” he proposed. “Make so many plans for it that it’s impossible to keep up. We should have reporters here documenting the planning process. The sooner they’re married, the sooner an heir can be produced, which is another distraction for the public.” 

Matty felt like vomiting at the mention of heir-producing. He sank further back into the couch, unwilling to be a part of the conversation anymore. 

Catherine had no reaction to the heir mention and maintained her stiff ladylike posture. Matty knew that she was ready to accept her responsibilities as his wife, but that was the last thing he wanted her to be, his wife. 

“You’re right,” Matty’s father said. “The sooner the better. We need to expedite the planning process. Perhaps a winter wedding instead of a spring one.” 

Matty’s mother’s face fell a little at the mention of this. “Winter wedding? What about the flowers? And outdoor ceremony?” 

The king shook his head. “We have greenhouses for the flowers, and the Great Hall here in the castle will be a perfectly acceptable location. This wedding cannot wait.” 

With that, he stood and left. Matty breathed again once he left the room. Genevieve grabbed his clammy hand, noticing the sudden ill shade her brother’s face had taken. Matty needed air, he needed to get away from Catherine and her family, and soon. 

He left the room a moment later, heading in the opposite direction as his father. He couldn’t take it anymore. This wasn’t for him. He wasn’t able to do what was required of him as prince, and he felt like a failure. More than anything, he wanted to run to George’s loving arms, where he knew he would be safe and adored, but he knew he couldn’t meet with George in the middle of the day while he was working. 

Matty felt the panic rising in his throat again, the horrible kind that felt like he was about to be sick, but instead just made him cry and scream and ended with him being empty and exhausted. He didn’t know where to go, so he took off into the nearest hallway he could find, hoping to find somewhere to hide from the world for just a little while. 

The first door he came across was locked, but luckily the second wasn’t. It looked like a storeroom of some sort, not that Matty cared. He closed the door behind him and dropped onto a sack of flour, curling his legs into his chest. 

He didn’t emerge for quite a while, nor did anyone disturb him. He tried not to fall asleep in there, promising himself that he should at least go back to his room before passing out. Numb and weary, he pulled himself up and returned to the hallway he had come down. 

Unfortunately, his mother saw him on the staircase up to his room. “Matty darling, won’t you join us for dinner? I know Catherine would appreciate it.” 

Matty sighed. He was so tired, both from his anxiousness and from staying up all night with George, but he knew better than to refuse his mother. “Yes, I’ll go change.” 

His mother smiled approvingly and continued downstairs. 

.:.

Dinner was a short affair, not that Matty remembered much of it anyways in his half-asleep state. He retreated to his bedroom quickly after, collapsing on his mattress and falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

For some reason, he woke a few hours later, and glanced at the clock over the mantelpiece. 1:15. He rolled back over and closed his heavy eyelids once more; there was still plenty of time until morning. Wait, 1:15? 

Matty shot out of bed, panic surging through his fingertips and toes. He was late to meet with George. He threw on his shoes and left his chambers in a hurry, not caring to bring a candle with him tonight. 

He rushed down the main staircase and down one of the side hallways. His heart pounded as he hoped that George hadn’t given up and left for the night because Matty had no way of finding him if he had. When he reached the linen closet, he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw candle light coming from under the door crack. He slipped inside quietly. 

George was reclined back on their normal stack of linen, toying with his fingers and looking rather lonely. He perked up when he noticed someone enter the room, and relief rolled through him when he saw it was Matty. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Matty breathed at George, rushing closer to him. “I fell asleep earlier.” He collapsed into George’s arms, relaxing at the warmth that came with George. The footman’s arms wrapped around his slender back, and George kissed along his forehead underneath his curls. 

“I worried you had changed your mind about me,” George said worriedly, “or that maybe you had been caught.” His arms tightened around Matty a little more, grateful to have him there. 

“No, no, George, I’m sorry,” Matty apologized, breathing in the scent of George’s shirt. “There’s no way I could change my mind about you, I love you.” 

George stiffened slightly underneath Matty’s body, and his breath caught in his lungs. 

Matty knew what he said. It had slipped out; he hadn’t meant to say it so soon, but he knew it was true. He loved George, and that was the only reason he didn’t take it back as soon as he said it. 

George sighed, his nose tickled by Matty’s frizzy curls. “I love you, too.” 

Matty lifted his head off of George’s chest, a smile prominent on his face. “You mean it?” 

“Yes, Matty, I do,” he grinned. 

Matty kissed him, unable to contain himself. After all the nights he had spent kissing George, he wasn’t nearly tired of it yet. He sucked at George’s lower lip and gripped his shoulders, pulling himself closer as he began rolling his hips. 

“George,” Matty said, his speech muffled because his lips were pressed against George’s. 

George hummed in response, not breaking their kiss. 

“George, George,” Matty tried again, reluctantly pulling his face away so he could talk. 

The taller man looked up at Matty with his dark brown eyes, which had grown to be Matty’s favorite eyes in the whole world. “What is it?” 

“Come to bed with me,” Matty said, letting the words fall past his lips without feeling nervous for asking. He ran a finger along George’s jawline, tracing the sharp outline. He had been meaning to ask George this for a while, but after everything that had happened today, Matty needed to feel loved, and he wanted to be loved by George. 

George stared up at him for a moment, his jaw slack, until he smiled slightly and pushed a curly strand of Matty’s hair behind his ear. He kissed Matty again, short and sweet this time. “Where shall we go?” 

Matty pushed himself up from their pile of sheets on the floor. “My room,” he whispered. “No one will hear us or bother us.” 

George stood as well, straightening his wrinkled clothes. “Shall we walk together?” 

Matty nodded. “A servant with a prince late at night is nothing too unusual. You aren’t a girl, after all.” 

George smiled and followed Matty out of the closet and into the hallway. They walked close together as they quietly made their way up the staircase that led to Matty’s room. 

When they reached Matty’s door, the prince held it open as George followed behind him. The footman was slightly taken aback by just how much space there was. The front door opened into a living area of some sort, complete with comfortable couches, a small fireplace, Matty’s work desk, and a large bookcase that completely covered one wall. 

Matty didn’t pay this room any attention, instead he closed the door behind them, grabbing George’s hand and pulling him further into the suite.

“You live here?” George asked. “This is all yours?” 

Matty turned to look at him. “Yes, love.” 

George was still amazed, and he followed Matty into his actual bedroom. The fireplace against the far wall was still lit. Matty’s bed was a large four poster with red drapes hung around it. A sturdy breakfast table was by the window, overlooking the lawn below. There was another small table next to Matty’s bed, but it was covered in books and bottles of lotion or perfume or some other product. A full length mirror stood ornately in the corner. 

“I can’t believe you live here,” George said as he ran his fingertips over the surface of the breakfast table. “It’s so lovely.” 

Matty smiled at George’s reaction, approached him from behind, and wrapped his arms around the taller man’s torso while he was looking out the window at the grounds below. Matty nuzzled his cheek in between George’s shoulder blades. 

George turned to face Matty, pressing his lips on the top of his head. Matty tilted his head up to meet George’s lips, and then they were kissing again. 

Matty had no patience when he was excited, so he began toying with the tie on George’s tunic immediately. George didn’t protest as he loosened it, then pulled at the string, undoing the zigzagging pattern it made across his chest. Matty played with the shirt’s hem before gripping it firmly in his slender fingers and tugging it over George’s head. 

The two of them barely stopped kissing during this, neither of them bothering to even open their eyes as they slowly made their way over to Matty’s inviting bed. 

George took off Matty’s shirt with ease, and the prince lifted his arms above his head as his long-sleeved shirt was removed. When his head popped out the bottom, his curls bounced back into place, and George couldn’t help but grin at how cute Matty looked, a little smile on his face and his bottom lip between his teeth. 

George pressed his lips to Matty’s neck, which he knew was a weak spot, and Matty let a small moan escape him as George began to unfasten his belt. Just feeling George’s fingers against his bare torso made him lose his mind. George pulled the belt from its loops, tossing it across the floor. It landed loudly, not that either of them cared. The absence of the belt made it easy for George to push down Matty’s trousers, which fell to the floor silently. George blushed warmly at the sight of Matty’s hardening cock. 

Matty saw George looking at him, and he blushed too. No one had ever seen him like this before, but he felt comfortable around George. 

Matty was quick to get George’s pants off as well, eager to have the both of them naked. Matty wanted to touch everywhere all at once, as the entirety of George’s body was appealing to him. 

George was already quite a bit harder than Matty was, and when he was free of his pants, his length sprung forward, nudging against Matty’s stomach. 

Matty kissed him again, and his hands wandering from his chest and down his arms and around to his back and dipping down and gripping George’s ass, pulling the larger man closer by his hips. 

The two of them staggered towards the bed, Matty walking backwards as they tried to avoid the piles of stripped clothing. When the back of Matty’s knees hit the mattress, he willingly fell backwards, pulling George down with him. They lay strewn across the sheets, somewhat sideways across the bed.

George supported himself on his elbows on either side of Matty’s head, kissing down his chin and jaw and chest. He nipped teasingly at one of the nipples, and Matty chuckled in response. George didn’t stay there long though, and continued his way downwards. His lips left a wet trail down Matty’s front, the feeling of his mouth and tongue making Matty’s toes curl. He kissed especially affectionately at the trail of hairs beneath Matty’s navel, loving their coarse texture against his lips. 

Matty angled his head sideways, watching George kiss him in all the ways he didn’t even know he could be kissed but loving it nonetheless. He sighed pleasantly while George kissed along his shaft, his hips instinctively curling towards the source of pleasure. He wasn’t sure what to expect when George took him in his mouth, but he definitely didn’t expect that. His breath caught in his throat, and his eyes closed naturally, and the stress in his shoulders eased at the feeling of George’s warm, wet mouth over his cock. 

When George started to move his head, Matty couldn’t stay quiet any more. He felt everything; the tongue rubbing against the underside of his penis, the smooth roof of George’s mouth, even the way George’s breath came heavily through his nose and onto Matty’s hips. A low moan rolled through Matty’s throat as he exhaled, completely at bliss. George grunted shortly in response, and the vibrations travelled over Matty’s cock. 

Matty tangled his fingers in George’s hair, hanging onto him as if his life depended on it. He completely unraveled under George’s touch, sounds escaping from his throat that he didn’t even know he could make. 

His tension building, he felt his face scrunch up and his mouth go slack, breathing deeply. George slowed his movements, and Matty relaxed a bit more. For the first time, he opened his eyes and looked down at George between his legs, and nearly came just from the sight of it. Despite how full his mouth was, George managed to still smile a little up at Matty before gripping the base of Matty’s penis and lowering his head over it as far as it would go. Matty choked as he felt his tip in George’s throat, and groaned again as George slid him back to his mouth. 

Matty noticed, in his state of delusion, that George’s other hand had reached below the mattress and was moving rhythmically between his own legs. Another wave of pleasure overcame Matty, and his spine arched as he threw his head back. His entire body felt as if it was on fire, radiating in a pleasing feeling that he never wanted to stop. 

He nearly cried, his vocals sounding suspiciously upset as he pulled George’s hair and begged for George to let him finish. George sped up his movements, his mouth making obscene slick noises against Matty’s length. Matty drew his legs up, bending at the knee, his back arching and head pressing back into the mattress, and he came into George’s mouth. He cried out as he felt George swallow around him, his breathing ragged and body sweaty and suddenly going limp across his mattress as his lungs heaved in air. 

George released his softening length, his lips pink and slick from his work. He crawled up the bed, placing himself right next to Matty and pulling him close to his body. The smaller man felt pleasantly warm, warmer than George, who pressed a kiss into his damp forehead. 

Matty felt like nothing he had ever felt before as George held him close. Somehow, he managed to lift a leg and place it over George’s hip, using it for leverage to snuggle closer. Matty blindly pressed sleepy kisses somewhere on George’s chest, enjoying the comforting warmth he found there. 

George gently traced his fingers along the side of Matty’s face, smoothing his messy hair and curling it behind his ear. His fingertips traced over the stubble around Matty’s jaw.

Matty, although feeling like he had melted, tilted his chin upwards to lazily press his lips to George’s soft pink ones. George didn’t taste the same as he always did, but Matty couldn’t name the flavor specifically. He blushed when he realized he was tasting himself on the other man’s lips. 

They kissed slowly, savoring in their sweat and skin and taste all mingling together. Matty felt deeply connected to George, more so than he had in the past. It would be impossible for Matty to not be touching him, and if someone pulled him away he would cry. So he pressed closer, wrapping himself around George to make sure that nothing separated the two of them in this moment. 

When Matty’s body had recovered a little more from his orgasm, he reached between the two of them and quickly found George’s cock. He wrapped his hand around it, like he would his own, and moved it back and forth. 

From Matty’s place against George’s chest, he could hear both George’s heartrate and breathing pick up as Matty kept stroking. Matty wanted to do more though; he felt an inexplicable need to make George even happier than he had just made Matty. 

The prince wriggled down George’s body, sliding almost off the bed as he placed his mouth over George’s cock. George tasted wonderful to Matty, not in a recognizable way, just in a way that gave Matty a rush from taking the other man’s cock into his mouth. He tried to copy the movements that George had done with him earlier. It seemed to be working, as George made nice noises in response. 

“Matty-” George sputtered, trying to find the strength to pronounce words correctly. 

Matty didn’t stop though, and kept licking up and down George’s shaft. He liked watching George come apart under his power, liked watching his face and hearing the noises he made. He felt as if he could have gone on forever, finding solace in the rhythmic movement and George’s ethereal sounds, but he could tell by the way George was acting that he was close. 

He was right, as just a few moments later, George’s hips bucked towards Matty’s face, and then George groaned softly as he spilled himself into the prince’s mouth. 

Matty was a bit surprised at the taste. He liked it, just like he liked the way George’s hips stirred so roughly before collapsing onto the mattress underneath him. He remained still for a while, keeping the cock in his mouth as it began to go soft. 

George reached down to him, beckoning him up into the bed so they could lay together. Matty lazily crawled upward, sleep starting to take hold of him. “Stay,” he mumbled sleepily, his cheek resting comfortably in the middle of George’s chest. George relaxed his arms across the smaller man’s back, his hands tracing mindlessly up and down the dip in his spine. He sighed, his post-orgasmic haze making it hard to think of anything else besides the man resting in his arms. 

“I love you,” George muttered, his mouth barely moving as the words left his lips, not to devalue their meaning, but rather because getting off with Matty was such an enormous release for him that he couldn’t have moved even if he needed to. 

“I luffoo,” Matty sighed, his speech muffled because of how his cheek was pressed in the center of George’s chest. He adored the feeling of George’s soft fingertips tracing up and down his back. 

George nodded off for a moment, his head catching and straightening as he caught himself. He had no desire to move from the way he and Matty were laying at the moment, but he knew if they fell asleep this way, they would both get a poor night of sleep. “Matty,” he whispered, his hands stilling across the prince’s back, but he didn’t stir. “My love,” he tried again, but his only response was the heavy breathing of Matty, fast asleep. 

George knew they couldn’t stay like this forever, strewn sideways across Matty’s comforter with all the sheets beneath them, so he gently tried to roll Matty off of him without waking him up. 

Matty suddenly inhaled sharply, his eyes only half open as he lifted his head. 

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” George apologized, pressing his lips to Matty’s temple comfortingly. “I just don’t want you getting cold.” 

Matty nodded in his half-awake state, crawling up the massive four poster to the top, where there was an abundance of decorative pillows. He pushed them onto the floor without hesitation, and George pulled the sheets down underneath them. 

Matty collapsed into a pillow, his body curling up into a small roll as he eased off to sleep again. George crawled in next to him, trying not to disturb him too much. As soon as he laid down, Matty scooted back to be closer to him, his arms and legs pressing against George’s own. 

George pressed more soft kisses into the top of Matty’s shoulder, his pressure gentle so that Matty wouldn’t be bothered, but George just had to kiss him, at least one more time, before their night together ended. He pulled the sheets up around the both of them, making sure sleeping Matty had enough blankets around him before drifting off to sleep himself. 

.:.

After that night, George and Matty no longer met in the linen closet on the first floor. Regularly, after midnight, a soft knock on Matty’s door would come, and the prince would race to answer it and pull his visitor inside before kissing him fiercely. They would fool around until they were exhausted and fall asleep together, George usually being the one to make sure they were both comfortably in bed before falling asleep. Sometimes they never made it to the bed to begin with; the wide variety of furniture in the prince’s suite proved to be useful when they couldn’t make it all the way down the hallway. More than once, Matty had fallen asleep on one of the couches or even the floor, and George always carried him to his four poster before snuggling in himself. 

No matter what though, George was gone by the time Matty woke up. 

Matty disliked waking up alone. Sometimes he would dream about what it would be like to wake up together so he could watch George sleep for a little while before he woke up, where the two of them could open the curtains and let the soft morning sun cast warmth on their bed as they laid about sleepily. That was just a dream though, and Matty didn’t complain about the way things were now. At least he got to see George in the nighttime, and that was enough to keep him happy regardless of what happened during his day. 

Sometimes when George arrived, Matty was in pretty rough shape already. The impending marriage was a growing stress for the prince, and not just the wedding, but the responsibility of having a wife and ruling the kingdom with her. George never knew what to say when Matty ranted about it in the evenings, but he did the best he could and offered Matty a shoulder to cry on when he needed it. He hated seeing Matty so distraught. 

In the back of George’s mind, he knew things wouldn’t end up well for the two of them. Not only was Matty engaged to someone else, but he was going to be king one day. George was only a footman, a nobody from nowhere that didn’t deserve anyone as wonderful as Matty. Even if none of those things were in their way, they were still two men, and a relationship of their sort wasn’t accepted by people in the kingdom. 

George always felt defeated when he thought of their relationship this way, as some impossible situation where intimacy shouldn’t even exist between them, but yet it did. It only took one look from Matty, and George forgot about everything that stood in their way. It was just the two of them, after all, and if it made them happy, even for a little while, that’s all that mattered. 

He often reflected on their relationship when he woke in the mornings, while Matty was still asleep and George was about to leave to start his day’s work. George’s world felt so much calmer when Matty’s small form was cradled next to him, his chest slowly rising and falling as he breathed. Nothing felt wrong about this, about the way Matty made him feel, about the pure sensation of sleeping next to someone he loved. He didn’t know how long this would last, but he knew that he wouldn’t let the uncertain future stand in the way of him experiencing a bit of joy. 

He kissed Matty’s shoulder, whispered a promise that he would be back that night, and silently slipped from the room before anyone else in the castle woke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 will be up in 2 days:)
> 
> Thank you for reading, giving kudos, and commenting! Means the world xx


	4. The Discovery

When Matty attended breakfast later that morning, he noticed a different air in the room as soon as he entered. It seemed pleasant, almost, as if the people sitting around the table were glad to be there. 

The bunch of them looked at Matty when he entered, inhibiting Matty from scanning around for George like he usually did. 

“What’s going on?” Matty asked as he seated himself in his normal seat between his sister’s and Catherine’s. For some reason, Genevieve wasn’t at breakfast this morning, so Matty sat awkwardly at the end of the table next to his fiancée. 

Catherine was trying to contain a large smile, so Matty wasn’t surprised when she answered him as soon as he spoke. “We have a date!” 

Matty lowered his juice glass from his lips. “A date?” 

“To be married!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with joy. “December 18th!” 

Matty’s heart sunk in his chest, painfully squeezing the organs beneath. “E-eighteenth?”

“We just received confirmation from the gardeners this morning,” Matty’s mother explained. “Everything else will be ready either before or on that day.” 

As his mother spoke, Matty heard a loud clattering come from the other side of the room; one of the servants had knocked over a vase as he grabbed for the pitcher of orange juice. Matty could tell from the man’s stature that it was George. 

“It’s sooner than I thought it would be,” Matty said nervously, and he knew he wasn’t having the appropriate reaction to the news. His father scowled at him, his face turning ever redder as he cast an angry gaze at Matty. Knowing that he had better shape up or else, Matty cleared his throat. “It’s wonderful news that we’re able to get married so soon,” he said to Catherine. She smiled jovially in response. 

In his head, Matty was already calculating how much time he had until the wedding. Five weeks? Four and a half? He stiffly chewed on his toast as he came to this realization, the taste of it suddenly repulsive. 

“I was thinking we could all visit the Great Hall this morning,” his mother continued. “I can show you all how things will be set up for the ceremony.” 

“Not I, dear,” the king replied to his wife. “I have some business that can’t wait.” 

That didn’t dampen the queen’s mood. “Not to worry, you’re not in the ceremony. Catherine, would you care to join me?”

Catherine nodded. “I would like that very much.” 

“Good,” she nodded. “Mr. and Mrs. Hillerton, you’re welcome to join us as well. I’ll show you where we parents will be sitting.” 

Catherine’s parents agreed, and after breakfast they joined the queen, Matty, and Catherine as they left the dining room for the Great Hall. 

Matty looked at George for a brief moment as they all stood from the table, wiping his mouth with his napkin before following Catherine out the door. Matty found comfort in George’s eyes, even if it was only for a moment before they separated for the day. He had almost left, but then his father cleared his throat. 

“Matty, would you stay behind for a moment?” the king asked, his lips pursed. “I’d like to speak with you.” 

Matty swallowed nervously, suddenly wishing he could go be with his fiancée. He stopped by the door, closing it after his mother and the Hillertons left. It closed with an ominous click. 

“Sit,” the king instructed, and Matty did as he was told. 

George was still in the room, tidying the table of food and preparing the trays to be carried back downstairs by the other servants. Matty couldn’t make up his mind as to whether he wanted George to leave or not. Of course he wanted George around, he always wanted that, but Matty also knew that his father spoke around servants as if they couldn’t hear him, and the prince worried about what his father would say around George. 

Matty sat quietly across from his father and fidgeted with his fingers nervously. He had a suspicion that he knew what this was about. 

“So,” the kind began. “Your wedding is a month from Friday.” 

Matty nodded, keeping his face expressionless. 

The king observed his son, looking him over before continuing. “Your reaction to all of this has puzzled me.” 

“Puzzled?” Matty inquired, looking up at his father. He was pretty sure his reaction to being forced into marriage was not abnormal. 

The king looked at his glass as he swirled the drink, sliding it in circles along the tablecloth. “I made an outstanding arrangement with the wealthiest and most powerful family in our kingdom. I offered to make their daughter queen in exchange for them to become useful allies with resources against this damned rebellion.” 

Matty flinched at how harshly his father cursed. 

“I promised them my only son, the heir to the throne, in exchange for their services. Everything was agreed upon,” he paused. “Lady Catherine is a reasonable match. She’s smart and polite and will make a wonderful queen when the time comes. Luckily for you, she’s also attractive. She showed up here knowing her responsibility to her kingdom, to her family, and is carrying on with grace. My son, however, is an embarrassment.” 

Matty lowered his gaze, unable to stare at anything but the tops of his shoes. He very much wanted to crawl into a hole, and he could feel his father’s eyes on him as well as George’s. 

“He mopes about, refusing to spend more time than what is required with his betrothed. He misses meals, and even when he does attend, he remains silent. He sleeps away most afternoons, ignoring what is required of him as future king.”

Matty hated when his father referred to him indirectly; it only made him feel worse. His father was right, too. He hadn’t been attending to his responsibilities lately. 

“So, please tell me, if it pleases your highness,” the king said, his voice layered in sarcasm, “why I find myself apologizing for my son’s abhorrent behavior on a regular basis?” 

Matty couldn’t find the words to say. A small voice in the back of his mind made him imagine what it would be like if he just stood up and told his father that he didn’t like Catherine or any other girls for that matter, and was regularly getting off with a footman that lived downstairs. The idea was comical, insensible, but even though it was, the weight of the confession took up so much space in his mind that he couldn’t think of anything else to say. 

“Is it Lady Catherine? Is the beautiful rich girl not good enough for you?” the king spat, his face turning as bright as a tomato. “You are meant to be king,” he enunciated. “This is not the first thing you’ll find yourself doing because you have to, not because you want to. If this is how you react to this, I doubt you will be very good at being king at all.” 

That one was the one that hurt the most, like a knife in the heart. Matty had been raised to be a good ruler, to be logical and ethical and to lead his people into greatness, but when his own father doubted him so, who was to say he wasn’t right? He bit at the insides of his mouth, trying to keep from crying.

“I did not raise you to be this way,” the king said, his voice lower than before. “Lady Catherine is the perfect candidate to be your queen. If her father thinks I have given him the short end of the deal by marrying his only daughter to the embarrassment of the royal family, I will make sure you pay the price for it.” He stood roughly from the table, setting his glass down so hard that Matty thought it would break. 

“Get off your high horse and do what is expected,” he said with finality. “You don’t have another choice.” 

He left the table, striding angrily away and slamming the door behind him. Tears welled in Matty’s eyes, the words of his father echoing loudly in his head. He was right, he would be a horrible king one day, forced into a life of unhappiness because of who he was. 

The breakfast dishes rattled as they were carried away by servants, and Matty looked over to see George still there, his eyes wide and expressionless. That only made Matty want to cry more, that George had overheard his conversation with his father, so Matty hurriedly stood from the table and left. His heart ached, and he wanted nothing more than to run over to George’s arms and cry endlessly and kiss him and hear that everything was going to be alright, even if it wasn’t. 

He wiped at his eyes and hoped the tears would stop soon. He had business to attend to in the Great Hall and didn’t want to look like he had been crying.

.:.

Matty couldn’t wait to see George again that night. He had spent the entire day tending to his duties. He met with the family in the Great Hall and participated in wedding plans. He sat and talked with Catherine at tea time. He attended dinner with the rest of the family and discussed politics in a way that he knew his father approved of. 

What had surprised him most was that Catherine really wasn’t that bad of a person. He began to see why everyone else liked her so much. She was fine, Matty supposed, to a certain extent. Matty still had no interest in being romantic with her, marrying her, or spending his life with her. She was just another person to him, but at least she was tolerable. 

After putting up a facade all day though, Matty was beyond ready to see George again. Sure, he had done what was expected of him today, but that was exhausting and he could only do it for so long. When George was in his room, he got to be his true self, and that always made him feel better. 

He had asked his valet to bring him some wine before he dismissed him for the night. To avoid suspicion, he hadn’t asked for two glasses, so Matty decided he could drink from the bottle and he’d let George have the glass. 

When the familiar knock came to his door after midnight, Matty bounded happily to the door, excited to see George. When he saw the other man’s face though, his emotions shifted. 

George didn’t seem like his normal self at all, rather he seemed upset, and Matty had never seen him that way before. “What’s wrong?” he asked, immediately worrying. 

George stepped inside, but cautiously, and he stayed near the door even after Matty had shut it. 

Matty looked up at him. “Did something happen?” He was beginning to panic. 

“Matty,” George said. “We should talk.” 

“Oh,” Matty said as his heart sunk. “Sure. Uh, what’s your mind?”

George scratched his head, obviously uncomfortable. He looked down at his shoes. “Am I a hindrance to you?” 

“W-what?” Matty asked, surprised. He now recognized the expression on George’s face: guilt. 

“I’m not- I’m nothing good for you. I’m not what you need. After what your father said, I don’t know. I don’t think I belong in your life.” 

“No, no, no,” Matty said, reaching his arms up to wrap around George’s neck. His muscles were incredibly tense. “George, please, I want you here. I love you.” 

“Your father-” George started. 

“Is a twat,” Matty finished. “I don’t give a damn.”

“I’m not what you need,” George repeated, shaking his head. “You’re about to be married, Matty.” 

“So?”

“I’m not the one you’re marrying,” George’s voice cracked.

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Matty’s gaze faltered when he was reminded of his unwanted fiancée. 

“I don’t care about that marriage,” Matty said slowly. “That’s what Prince Matthew has to do for his country. Here though, right now, I’m just Matty. Your Matty,” he cupped the taller man’s face as he spoke. “I’m always going to be just Matty with you.” 

George relaxed a bit more, and Matty felt the tension ease out of his shoulders. “But what about your father?” 

Matty shook his head. “I don’t care. That’s Prince Matthew’s problem.” He rubbed his thumb gently along George’s stubble. “I want you to stay. Please, stay.” 

George rested his forehead on Matty’s, and he sighed heavily. “I want to.” 

“Please,” Matty repeated. He couldn’t imagine his life anymore without having someone he loved to come home to every night. 

George nodded subtly, enough to let Matty feel comfortable breathing again. He stood on his toes and kissed him softly, and his heart soared in his chest when George kissed him back. 

“I had some wine brought up for us,” Matty suggested when he pulled away, gesturing into his bedroom. “Drink with me?”

“Alright,” George agreed, and they went together into the next room. 

Matty poured his guest a glassful, and then took a swig from the bottle for himself. “I quite like this one.” 

George took a sip, swallowing a small amount. “It’s nice. A bit strong, but good.” 

Matty smirked. “You don’t drink much, do you?” 

He blushed and shook his head. Matty busied himself with the bottle, and George went over to the bedside table, glancing at the titles Matty had set out. “Do you like reading a lot?” George asked. 

“It helps pass the time,” Matty shrugged. He gestured to the book of court cases George had just picked up. “I usually don’t read things so dry, I prefer poetry. I thought I should learn a bit about others like us, though.” 

George nodded, returning the book to its place on the nightstand. He wasn’t in the mood to hear about the old stories tonight. “We’ll be okay, right?”

The prince understood what he meant. There were many possible endings to their story, but none were particularly enjoyable. “We take it one day at a time.” 

George set his wineglass aside, losing interest in the drink. “One night,” he corrected, sitting back on Matty’s bed. 

Matty smiled, lowering himself next to George on the bed. “Yes, one night at a time.” 

A warm feeling spread through George’s chest, and he leaned into Matty’s shoulder, sighing contently. He held out his hand for the bottle, which Matty gave over, and took a swig. His free hand intertwined with Matty’s, and they sat there for a long time in silence, passing the bottle between them. 

“You know,” George said as he handed the bottle back to Matty once again, his speech stumbling a bit, “your voice is my favorite sound in the whole world.” 

Matty finished the last of the wine and set the bottle on his bedside table. “Is it?” 

“It’s comforting to me,” he replied, nuzzling his nose into Matty’s shoulder. “I want to listen to it until I fall asleep.” 

Matty ran his fingers up the other man’s forearm. “Whatever you want, love,” he said, his fingertips reaching the sleeve of George’s shirt. 

“Can we take our tops off?” George said, his drunkenness showing a bit more as he pulled helplessly at the bottom of his shirt. “I like feeling you.” 

Matty smiled hazily, feeling the wine warm his cheeks. He dragged his fingers along George’s stomach, reaching under his tunic to do so. “May I?” he asked. 

George nodded, lifting his arms in anticipation as Matty removed his shirt for him. George removed Matty’s as well, enjoying the feeling of Matty’s smooth skin against his own. 

“Pants too?” he asked, and Matty giggled. 

“You first,” he said, and so it was done, George kicked them off and sat back on Matty’s bed, completely naked before the prince. 

“Let me watch you take them off,” George said, “please.” 

Matty blushed a bit, suddenly shy, but unfastened his belt and let his trousers drop to the floor. 

George smiled at the sight of him, as he always did. “I’m never going to get tired of that,” he said. 

Together, they turned down the sheets to the bed and removed any unnecessary pillows. Even though there were quite a few to remove, there were still plenty comfortable ones left for the both of them. They each had at least three pillows for sleeping, which George thought was a bit extravagant but enjoyed nonetheless. He crawled in first, situating his back against the bunch of pillows, propped up in a comfortable lounging position. Matty followed him once he was situated, pressing his chest next to the side of George’s, and curled his body inwards so they were facing. Then, he pulled the blankets around them, making sure they were equally divided between the two of them. 

“Good?” he asked, and George nodded. Their hands had already found each other, their fingers toying with each other mindlessly. 

“I’m still sorry about what happened today with my father,” Matty said. “You shouldn’t have had to hear that.” 

George shook his head. “Don’t worry about that, it just made me nervous. I’m glad you still want me,” he paused. “Would you still want to do this after you get married?” 

Matty ignored the nausea that he felt at the thought of getting married. “Yes, definitely. I won’t share a room with Catherine anyways, so we’ll be fine.” 

George smiled at that, bending his face down to kiss the top of Matty’s head. He stroked his thumb along the back of Matty’s palm. “You have nice hands.” 

Matty chuckled. “Thank you, but I quite prefer yours.” 

Their conversation continued that way for a bit longer, mindlessly saying what they enjoyed about each other punctuated with their worries for the future, which the other always helped soothe. 

It was the nicest night Matty could remember having in a long time. He felt loved and wanted, and George was right next to him the whole time, which made it even better. 

George started to nod off first, his head drooping off and resting on the pillows behind them. 

“Oh, love, go to sleep,” Matty cooed after George dropped off for the second time. 

George shook his head, blinking his eyes sleepily. “Want to keep talking to you,” he whined, resting his chin on the top of Matty’s head.

Matty placed a hand on George’s chest. “Lay down for me. I can read to you, hm? So you can hear my voice as you fall asleep like you wanted.” 

George reluctantly agreed. “No sad stories,” he grumbled as he lowered his body to full recline with his head atop a pillow. 

“No, none of that,” Matty soothed. “I think I have something here…” he turned to the various titles on his nightstand. Sure enough, near the bottom of the stack was a book of poems from his favorite writer. He settled back into the pillows, halfway sitting up. 

George settled into his side, his head against Matty’s ribcage and his arm strewn across his torso. He pressed a kiss there and muttered, “I love you.” 

Matty smiled, returning the sentiment and stroking George’s hair a few times. Then, Matty balanced the book in one hand and placed the other against George’s back while he read softly from one page to the next. He only stopped when his own eyes began to droop, and he decided to join George in sleep. He placed the book on top of the stack, blew out his candle, and settled down in the blankets. He curled into George, as he always did, and fell asleep.

.:.

The following morning, Matty woke to the sun streaming through his bedroom window and into his bed. He must have forgotten to close the curtains around his bed last night before falling asleep. 

He stretched sleepily between his warm sheets, breathing in heavily. He turned his head towards the empty side of the bed, sad to see that George was gone, but he was used to it by now. Although George was absent, the indention in the pillow and mattress where he slept still remained, and Matty rolled towards it, grazing his hand over the sheets and pressing his face into George’s pillow, inhaling the lingering scent. 

By the look of the morning sky that Matty could see, it was still quite early, which made sense, given the especially exhausted feeling that remained in his limbs as he stirred from unconsciousness. He also had a tinge of a headache from all the wine he drank the night before, but he knew it would go away once he got up and had some breakfast. He worried about George, though, who didn’t seem like he was accustomed to drinking, and hoped that his hangover was minimal. 

He had some time before he was due downstairs for breakfast, and he decided he would spend the early morning hours in bed enjoying the down time before the long day of happy faces and wedding plans ahead of him.

He reached for a book on his nightstand and picked up the same one George had looked over the night before. This one was a documentation of uncommon cases, and there were a few chapters about anything sexually perverse. 

Flipping to where he last left off, he settled back down against his pillows and began to read. He read over a few cases similar to the ones he had already read, those that were against men suspected of having sexual relationships with each other, but then then he came across a new one, one that was much more detailed than any other he had seen so far. 

Most of the transcript was from a townswoman who had walked in on her husband with another man. She had been asked many questions about her husband, including what her husband and the other man had been doing when she walked in on them. Her answer was quite detailed. 

Matty felt his cheeks flush, and then he read the sentence again, and then one more time. Surely not… he thought. He thought about George, and imagined what it would be like to have George be with him that way, and his stomach fluttered. He reread the sentence yet again, and the words of the townswoman echoed in his head. His face felt so warm as he pictured getting on his hands and knees and George thrusting into him… or even George bending over for him... He squirmed in his bed, both with newfound anticipation and anxiety. 

He closed the book after he decided that he had read enough for the day. He rang for his valet so he could get ready for breakfast and put thoughts of him and George to the back of his mind. 

.:.

In order to please his father, he asked Lady Catherine to join him for a walk that afternoon. She happily agreed, and told him that she’d meet him the main foyer after she changed into warmer clothing. It was mid-November, after all, and the cold dry air was now a constant condition outside. 

He kept his expression pleasant as they left together, bundled in thick wools and fur coats. He even so much as offered her his arm, desperate to avoid another degrading conversation with his father. 

They kept the conversation simple for most of their walk, discussing the weather and other mundane topics. Matty was happy to let her do most of the talking, and he pretended to listen intently. He hoped she didn’t notice his lack of interest. Their escorts followed a good ten paces behind them, allowing them to converse in private. 

When they got to the fountain near the center of the gardens, Lady Catherine invited him to sit with her on one of the benches surrounding it. Matty agreed, albeit halfheartedly, and sat himself next to her. Their guards remained at a distance, casually standing between the roses at the edge of the clearing for the fountain. 

“I can tell you don’t enjoy all of this wedding planning,” she said to him, sliding a bit closer to him on the bench. 

Matty’s necktie suddenly felt a bit tighter around his neck. 

“The good thing is that it’s almost over,” she continued. “I’m pleased the date was moved up so that we can stop stressing about it sooner.” 

She was trying to make him feel better, Matty could tell, and he knew he should have been acting nicer towards her, but a part of him held onto his anger about their situation, and unfortunately that meant he also felt resentment towards her. 

“I appreciate your mother being so active in the planning,” she said, trying to coax conversation out of him. “She’s taken care of so many things I was worried about.” 

“She had been looking forward to my wedding since I was a young boy,” Matty said. “No doubt it gives her great satisfaction that you’re allowing her to help.” 

Catherine smiled, taking it as a compliment. “I am happy to share the responsibility.” 

Matty wished he had brought something to drink with him, something to take the edge off, like some wine. The thought of the bottle he and George had shared the night before. 

“Oh, I nearly forgot. She asked me to remind you that a reporter is coming tomorrow to interview us about our engagement.” 

“We should say things that would make the people happy, yes?” Matty said with sarcasm. Catherine didn’t seem to pick it up, or if she did, she pretended she hadn’t. 

“Exactly my thinking! Not that it will be hard. I have such wonderful things to say about you and your family,” she smiled. “I will admit, I wasn’t expecting you to be so quiet. It’s a bit different than what I thought you would be like based on newspapers I read before I came here. It’s just you though, isn’t it? I like the brooding mysterious type.” 

No, Matty thought, I’m not the brooding or mysterious type at all. Only when I’m uncomfortable. “I’m sure people will enjoy the inside story on the true nature of their prince.” 

“Oh,” Lady Catherine exclaimed. “I wasn’t planning on being so specific about your personality. I think you’re more of a private person anyways, am I right?” 

Matty nodded silently. 

“Some things I would like to keep… just between us.” She scooted closer to Matty once again, close enough for Matty to feel the pressure of her leg against his between their thick coats. She leaned towards him, her eyes watching him closely. “You are my fiancé after all, Matthew.” 

Matty cringed at the sound of his full name. He hadn’t told her that he preferred Matty, mainly because he reserved that name for people whom he trusted and was close with. Catherine was neither of those. He glanced at her nervously out of the corner of his eye, noticing just how close she was to his face. 

“Kiss me,” she asked softly. “Please, Matthew.” 

He hesitated, surveying his options. He almost leaned in to kiss her, and he even turned his head a little bit. The stern words of his father sounded heavily in his head, making him feel guilty for not appreciating his arrangement to Catherine, but he also saw George. Lots of George- his hands, his back, his eyes. Most of all, he thought of how it felt to kiss George, and how it felt to want to kiss him. That wasn’t how Matty felt now. As much as he knew he should kiss Catherine, he couldn’t force himself to. He froze, neither wanting to move forward nor to back away and hurt her feelings. 

Catherine’s face fell when she saw him hesitate. “Matthew?” she asked, her eyes searching his face for answers. “Have I done something wrong?”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry.” 

“What is it?” Catherine said, distancing herself from Matty again. “Please tell me, if I have done something wrong I would like to know so that I can fix it.” 

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” Matty said. “I’m just- I’m not-,” he paused, searching desperately for a way to explain this to her that would result in minimal damage. “I’m in love- I was in love with someone else.” 

Catherine’s mouth opened a little bit, then closed. She took a small breath. “Oh.” 

“I’m having a hard time getting over it,” he explained hurriedly. “This arrangement came about unexpectedly, otherwise I wouldn’t have been seeing someone before you arrived.” He felt a bit nervous for lying, but he knew this was for the best. For both of them. “I hope you can forgive my apprehensiveness at the moment. I’m still struggling to adjust.” 

“No, no, I understand,” Catherine said, reaching for his hand and wrapping her fingers around it. “Thank you for telling me.” 

Matty felt a bit better for having the weight off his chest, at least with Catherine. Perhaps things would go a bit easier between them now. 

“I forget sometimes that I am able to be more optimistic about circumstances than others,” she said. “It didn’t think about how you were feeling about this, and I assumed you were on the same page as I was. I understand it now though.” 

They sat together for a little longer, the cold air nipping at their noses and cheeks. 

“Perhaps we should go in?” she suggested. “It’s rather cold and I think it’s getting close to tea time.”

Matty agreed, and they left their bench by the fountain to return indoors. She hadn’t let go of his arm, but the contact was no longer repulsive for Matty and he gladly escorted her back inside.


	5. The Night

Matty waited for George that night in one of the plush chairs facing the fireplace. He stared into the lit fire blankly, reflecting on the day’s events as he sipped on the drink his valet had given him before leaving for the night. 

He definitely felt less of a barrier between him and Catherine now, and he had the feeling that she was a sympathetic person. He felt less guilty about being cold around her because she now understood that it wasn’t her, not directly anyways. He wondered what she really thought of him, even though she was too kind to say anything negative to his face. Perhaps she dreaded her future too because she was going to have him as a husband. 

Matty ate another strawberry from the tray next to him. He liked having food brought to his room before bedtime, as it gave him and George something to snack on when they stayed up well into the night. Tonight he had asked for some fruit, and it had been served a silver bowl full of melons and berries, which he hoped George liked. 

His thoughts wandered as he waited for George to knock on his door. He found himself reflecting on what he had read that morning in his book, as he had many times that day already. The idea still made him blush and his heart flutter crazily in his chest. He wondered whether or not he should bring it up to George. Perhaps the reason they hadn’t done it yet was because George was repulsed by it, but then again he may have been just as clueless as Matty was. He was still feeling uncertain when the normal soft knock came at the door. 

Matty hurried over as fast as his legs would take him, throwing the door to his suite open before a massive grin appeared on his face. 

George looked especially lovely tonight, wearing his normal sleep shirt and casual pants and slip on shoes. He crossed the threshold as soon as Matty opened the door, taking the prince into his arms and holding onto him tightly. “Hi,” he breathed into Matty’s ear. 

Matty savored in the feeling of his breath on his skin, as it was something he had waited all day for. “Hello,” he responded in a soft voice, and the feeling of George’s arms around his back made his insides melt. 

George kicked the door shut behind him as his hands went to Matty’s face, cupping it gently and bringing their lips together. 

Matty smiled as he did so, kissing back playfully, feeling completely at home now that his favorite time of day had come. He placed his hands over George’s, grabbing them gently and pulling George further into the room. “Come,” he said, and together they walked back to Matty’s bedroom. 

George made himself at home on Matty’s bed, as this was routine now. Tonight, the bed had already been turned down for them, which was exceptionally nice. George began undoing the ties on his top and loosening the cuffs. 

Matty hung back a little, acting shyer than normal. Usually, he pounced on George as soon as they made it into the bedroom, but tonight was different. He stood shyly at the end of the bed, leaning against one of the massive ornate posts and watching as George removed his shirt. He toyed with his earlobe nervously. 

George noticed Matty’s apprehensiveness. “Is something wrong?” he asked, halting the process of undressing. 

Matty ran his hand through his hair. “No, love, everything’s fine.” He still didn’t join George in bed, and he crossed his ankles nervously. 

“Somethings on your mind though,” George told him. Matty didn’t reply, and George knew that something was bothering him. “Why don’t you tell me about it,” he said as he patted a spot on the bed next to him. 

Matty cautiously sat, sighing as he sat down. His posture remained stiff and uncomfortable. 

George remained quiet, as he knew Matty would eventually speak if a silence lasted too long. He was right. 

“I read something today,” Matty said, speaking slowly as he considered how to say what he wanted to say, “in one of my books.” 

“What did you read?” George asked, pulling one of his legs up onto the bed so he could face Matty. 

“It- er- was a transcript,” he said, “of a court case.” He swallowed. “A woman saw these two men having sex, and the way she described it…” he trailed off.

George sat up a little straighter, starting to get an idea of what Matty had read. “How did she describe it?” He wanted to hear Matty say it.

Matty didn’t respond; he sat stiffly and played with his fingers while avoiding eye contact. 

“What did she say, Matty?” George pressed.

He took a breath. “One was, uh, sticking his penis into the other’s... ass,” he said, blushing bright pink. 

George tried to contain his smile, but he wasn’t very good at it; he chuckled a little, his hand covering his mouth. 

“Are you laughing at me?” Matty asked, his eyes widening as he got more nervous. 

“Only a little bit, love,” George said, reaching for one of Matty’s hands and taking it in his own. “I’m just surprised you didn’t know.” 

“D-didn’t know?” Matty asked, his cheeks glowing. “You mean you did?” 

“Well, uh, yeah,” George said, rubbing his hand along his jawline. “I thought you didn’t want to, I don’t know, you never made any hints that you wanted to do it.” 

“Oh,” Matty said, his face still feeling incredibly warm. “No, I mean… It sounds, uh, nice.” He didn’t want to directly say that he wanted to try it, for some reason, even though the idea of doing that with George made his toes curl. He felt very shy about it, and he still wasn’t sure if George was into it. 

“Do you want to?” George asked him, still holding onto his hand. 

Matty sputtered his response, the rose color in his cheeks not going unnoticed. “I mean, if you want to, I’m not-” 

Pulling on Matty’s hand, George pulled the prince closer to him. “Let’s try it, yeah?”

Matty blinked up at him, his face perking up a little. “You mean it?” 

George smiled comfortingly. “Of course, why wouldn’t we?”

“I don’t know,” Matty shrugged, resting his head on George’s shoulder. “I was worried you wouldn’t want to do it with me.” 

George blew air through his nose, as if he thought Matty was joking. He pulled the prince closer, wrapping his arm around his shoulders and kissing the top of his head. “I do,” he said. “I love you and want to make you happy, you know?” 

Matty nodded. “I love you, too. Thank you.” 

George rubbed his back for a little while, hoping that he could calm Matty’s nerves. He spotted the bowl of fruit on the table across the room. “Did you get some fruit for us?” he chuckled. 

Matty smiled, sitting up a little straighter. “I did. Do you want some?” 

“Hmm,” George said. “I’d prefer to feed it to you.” 

Matty smirked and stood from the bed. He fetched the bowl and brought it over to where they were sitting and set it next to George. Matty sat back further in the bed, crossing his legs and placing his hands in his lap. “Feed me.” 

George picked up a cube of melon, holding it between two fingers as he held it up to Matty’s waiting mouth. The prince bit into it slowly, looking at George as he did. This piece must have been especially ripe, because the juice gathered at the corner of Matty’s mouth and rolled down his chin as well as George’s fingers. 

George wiped the drop off of Matty’s chin before it reached his throat, and Matty turned his head to taste George’s wet finger with his tongue. He then submerged it into his mouth, sliding back slowly and releasing with a slight pop. 

“It’s sweet,” he commented, smiling as he swallowed the fruit. 

After licking his other finger, George nodded. “Very.” 

“Let me try,” Matty suggested, already picking up a bright red strawberry. He held it by the green leaves on top and fed it to George, giggling slightly when George grazed his lips over Matty’s fingertips. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Kiss me.” 

He didn’t have to ask twice; George hastily leaned into him and pressed their lips together, colliding with such force that Matty lost his balance. Matty let the larger man push him back onto the mattress, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. His mouth tasted especially sweet, as his lips were still wet from the fruit. Matty took George’s bottom lip into his mouth and sucked at it a little before pinching it between his teeth. It tasted like strawberries.

George opened his eyes for a moment, pulling away from Matty to put a little space between their faces. Their breathing had already picked up, and he loved feeling the prince’s breath on his face. He let his weight shift from his legs and arms to the center of his body, pinning Matty effectively to the mattress. He angled his head to fit against Matty’s neck and kissed and sucked in the way he knew Matty loved, and the other man purred and squirmed under him. 

Matty wrapped his arms around George’s waist, gripping desperately onto the base of his shirt and pulling it out from where it had been tucked in. “Off,” he breathed, unable to specify further. 

George hummed in agreement and leaned away from Matty before grabbing at his shirt and pulling it over his head. Since he was straddling Matty’s waist, he felt Matty’s cock stir beneath him as he removed his top. 

Matty sat up as well, struggling with his own shirt as he tried to get topless like George. He was so anxious to remove it that he hadn’t bothered to unbutton or untie anything before pulling it off, and his head got stuck in the head hole. He yanked at it for a minute, feeling the tight cloth around the base of his head refusing to budge. 

George’s vision was skewed while he took off his blouse, but when the shirt was over his head, his sight returned, and he immediately saw the prince’s struggle. 

Matty slumped as he gave up, his arms dropping to his sides. “Uh, George?” 

George giggled at him before loosening the part that was stuck around Matty’s jaw and then gently removing Matty’s shirt himself. He loved the way Matty’s curls bounced after the garment was pulled away. “Hello,” he whispered as he smiled, trying to refrain from teasing him. 

Matty smiled back. “Shut up,” he said, and leaned forward again to kiss him. He rolled his hips under George’s instinctively, his erection growing in his pants. 

George gripped at his shoulders, his large hands spread across Matty’s back as he began to grind his hips on Matty’s. He spread his legs a bit more to get closer as well as to give himself better balance. He hummed pleasantly with their mouths together, not able to keep from smiling a bit as they kissed. 

Their heartrates increased and their hands began to wander more around each other. Matty brought his around George’s back, dipping them low and pulling George closer by his hips. Then, he slipped his hand between their bodies, placing his index finger between George’s pants and his pelvis and running it teasingly back and forth. 

With one more strong push, George gyrated their hips together before pushing off, returning his feet on the floor by Matty’s bed. He shoved his pants down impatiently and hastily stepped out of them.

Matty watched him do this, his mouth watering at the sight of George’s cock. George suddenly grabbed at Matty’s pants and pulled, causing him to gasp in surprise. Matty shifted his hips around so they would come off, and he pulled up his legs and pointed his toes as George worked them around his ankles. When George tossed them aside, he began to roll over, moving one leg over the other and exposing his back to George. 

George caught him by the hip, his large hand gripping firmly and turning Matty back over. “Not yet,” he shook his head, his fingers now tracing along the side of Matty’s upper thigh.

Matty looked at him for a moment, confused, and then watched as George knelt between his legs next to the bed. His breath caught in his throat out of anticipation. 

George pressed his lips just above Matty’s knee, looking up at Matty as he did so. Matty bit his lip between his teeth as he watched. “Lay back, love,” George instructed. “Close your eyes.” 

Matty hesitated for a moment, not wanting to take his eyes away from George’s brown ones, but he agreed in the end. He relaxed the arms he had been leaning back on and landed on the mattress with a soft thumpf. The room was only lit by the fireplace already, so it was fairly dim, but he closed his eyes anyway as per George’s instructions. He intensely focused on the feeling of George’s lips on his thigh, which had begun softly kissing upwards. He could hear the gentle sucking noise each kiss made, and it only drove him crazier; he began squirming with impatience. “Please, George, fuck,” he breathed, his cock pulsing strongly as it craved to be touched.

George hummed, removing his lips from next to Matty’s base and gliding his tongue wetly over Matty’s tip. His hips bucked in response, but George didn’t do anything besides lick slowly.

The sensation was close to what Matty wanted so desperately, and he let out a moan as he begged George for more. 

George teased him for a bit more, kissing up and down the shaft, until Matty was whimpering for him, his hands tight in George’s hair and his hips squirming uncontrollably. George pulled away for a moment but then took Matty’s dick into his mouth, sliding nearly the whole thing inside on his first try. 

Matty inhaled sharply, finally relaxing back onto the bed as George’s head starting moving up and down between his legs. His eyes were still closed, which allowed him to bask in the feeling of George’s warm and wet mouth even more. 

By now, George knew exactly how to work Matty to get him to finish in a hurry, so he did as such, but he wasn’t going to let him come yet. He moved his head and tongue that way until Matty was breathing heavily, his head rolling from side to side, as he did when he was close. Matty moaned occasionally to encourage George to keep going. 

When Matty was about to go over the edge, George slowed down, nearly stopping his movements. Using one finger, he ran it along the base of Matty’s penis, gathering the wetness that had collected there. Keeping Matty’s cock in his mouth, he used his wet finger to press firmly but slowly into Matty between his legs. 

Matty held his breath, the action unexpected, and his body stilled, even though he was desperate to bow his back off the bed. He loved the contrast between the soft warmth of George’s mouth on his cock compared to the rough feeling coming from below that. 

George continued to move his tongue against Matty, hoping that the stimulation would keep him relaxed. It seemed to be working, because after a few minutes George was able to fit his entire finger inside without Matty cringing away. He relaxed his mouth and pulled away from Matty. “Does that feel okay?” he asked, looking up at the prince. 

Matty grunted in agreement, the pain starting to lessen as his muscles relaxed. “Keep going,” he breathed softly, shifting his hips to press against George’s hand. 

George slid his finger back and forth a little bit, watching Matty’s face as he did so. He loved the way his eyebrows scrunched up and how his mouth gaped open for more air. “Can I try adding another?” he asked after Matty hummed from pleasure. 

He nodded, not able to speak while George was moving inside him like that. By now, his curly hair had matted against the sheets around him because of how much he squirmed. 

George thought for a moment, considering what to do next. “I don’t want to hurt you, love,” he said softly, slowing his movements inside the other man. “Do you have something that would make this smoother? Body oil, maybe?”

Matty nodded. “On my dresser.” 

George eased his finger out, and Matty sighed as he did so, his hips remaining still. The footman stood from the floor, using the side of the bed to help himself get up. He explored the items on Matty’s dresser and read their labels. On the end, there was a small blue glass bottle with a stopper in the top. About half of the oil had already been used. 

He picked it up and returned to the bed, holding up the bottle and shaking it for Matty to see. “Already used a bit of this, have we?” 

Matty smiled as he blushed. “It feels nice,” he explained. “You’ll have to tell me if you like it, too.” 

George grinned at the thought. “Get up in bed, love,” he said. “On the pillows.” 

Pushing himself up, Matty scooted up the bed and turned his body so that now his head rested on a pillow and his feet down at the end of the bed, and he laid on his back. George crawled in after him, pushing Matty’s legs apart as he situated his body between them. Matty cocked his head sideways and watched as George uncapped the bottle and used the dropper to cover his fingers until they were shiny. Then, he refilled the dropper and emptied it between Matty’s legs. 

The prince felt the cool, smooth liquid roll slowly behind his balls and lower. His heart raced in anticipation. 

Slowly, George pressed his two lubricated fingers against Matty, feeling his tightness. Matty gasped wetly, knowing this was going to hurt more than the last time. His shoulder muscles stiffened out of nervousness. 

George, sensing his apprehension, asked if he should stop, but Matty told him not to. 

In an attempt to make him relax, George took his dick into his mouth again, sucking wetly. It seemed to work, at least a little bit, so George slowly began to ease his fingers inside. Matty grunted as he did so, but he wanted George to keep going. He liked being with George this way, and it felt nice to let himself go a little bit, to give George the control. 

George moved his mouth and fingers in rhythm together, slowly at first, but gradually moving faster. He kept his eyes on Matty’s face, and enjoyed it when his name was murmured heavily from the prince’s lips. 

Matty couldn’t believe how wonderful George’s fingers felt inside of him, and the longer they were there the better they felt. He began rolling his hips, very subtly at first, testing to see how it would feel. At first, he moved in order for George’s mouth to feel better around his cock, but after a little bit of that, he realized there was more that called to be stimulated. He shifted his angle, thrusting in a different way now, desperate to feel the pressure from George’s fingers in a particular place inside him. 

It felt so good, which Matty hadn’t been expecting. He didn’t want George to stop, so he moaned again, communicating that he loved what George was doing to him. The familiar pressure began to build low in his torso, and he knew he was going to come they kept on like this, but he didn’t know if George wanted him to yet. 

“G-george,” he moaned, his breath rapidly coming in and out of his mouth as George sucked at him pleasantly. “G-george, I-I’m gonna-” 

George quickly released Matty and stilled his hand. Matty stopped thrashing around, and he exhaled slowly from his mouth as his back relaxed and returned to the mattress. 

“George,” he whimpered, and George felt him squirm around his fingers. “Please, I’m ready, I want to try it.” His words strung together, his breath still uneven. He mindlessly stroked George’s hair as he spoke, which had gotten messy because of how he had gripped and pulled on it earlier. 

Carefully, George slid his fingers out and reached for the lube bottle to make himself and Matty slick again. 

Matty, his erection still pulsing, rolled over in bed, and propped himself up on his hands and knees. He leaned a bit forward, clutching onto a pillow which he wrapped his forearms around and rested his face on. He heard the clinking of the glass as George filled the dropper and lubricated himself, then returned for more. Matty loved the feeling of the cool drops rolling against his exposed flesh and down his legs. 

The sheets rustled as George adjusted himself, kneeling on the mattress and getting closer to Matty. Goosebumps ran over Matty’s back as George placed a hand on his hip, holding Matty in place and letting him know he was there. 

George’s cock felt warm against him, especially with the amount of lube present, and Matty rocked his hips back a little bit, feeling the wet shaft rub against his cheek before he came into contact with George’s pelvis. 

Although he couldn’t see much of George behind him, he felt comfortable like this, knowing that George was with him and that he was loved. He smiled softly into his pillow and gripped it a bit tighter. 

George’s warm hand remained on his hip, squeezing with just enough pressure. He slid his cock around Matty’s ass, spreading the lube between the two of them as he did so. He kept his eyes on the back of Matty’s head, where the curls were frayed and messy, and watched as Matty’s back muscles moved beneath the surface of his skin. He hesitated, just for a moment, as he thought of what he was about to do. 

Matty noticed. “What’s wrong?” he asked nervously. 

“Turn over,” George said with confidence. “On your back.” 

Matty didn’t say anything, but did as he was told, putting his head back on the pillow and keeping his legs on either side of George, who was still kneeling. He found comfort again when he looked into his favorite brown eyes. 

“I wanna see you,” George said, leaning over Matty’s body and kissing him softly on the lips. “I can’t see your face when you’re turned away from me.” 

Matty blushed, suddenly feeling very warm. “I love you,” he said after their lips parted. 

George sighed pleasantly. “I love you, too. Are you ready?” 

He nodded excitedly, although he was still unsure of what to do. George did, though, and he wrapped his fingers around the back of Matty’s bent knees and pulled him further down the bed so that he was flat on his back. His legs still in the air, George placed them on his upper body, encouraging Matty to brace them there. 

The prince took his lip anxiously between his teeth, keeping his eyes on George’s face. He felt George’s warm cock press against him, and he exhaled in yearning. “Please,” he breathed, and was given what he asked for. 

George only pushed in the slightest amount, but Matty cried out for just a moment, losing his breath and words all in an instant. 

“Matty?” George asked, looking unsure and scared. 

Matty’s face scrunched up as he focused, and was unable to speak for a few moments. “I’m okay,” he panted with his eyebrows in a knot as he tried to slow his breath. “It’s okay.” 

George remained quiet and still, allowing for Matty to have some time to adjust. He placed his forehead against Matty’s while he closed his eyes and listened to him breathe. Despite how wonderful and tight Matty felt around him, he would take the extra time needed so that both of them could enjoy it.

Soon, Matty’s face relaxed and his breathing slowed. When he nodded and asked George to continue, George slid a bit deeper, but very gradually so that he could stop if Matty asked him to. 

Matty made an unintelligible whimper when he wanted George to pause, and George listened to him. They did this twice more, Matty panting quickly at first and then slowing as he adjusted to the feeling of George’s length inside him. George peppered him with little kisses across his forehead and temples as they waited.

The next time Matty asked George to continue, George was able to push all the way inside before the other man had to ask him to stop. Nonetheless, he still held himself as still as possible once he was sheathed completely, not wanting to cause Matty any additional discomfort. 

Matty was still trying to get used to the feeling, and he pushed air out of his mouth heavily as he felt himself stretch. George leaned closer to him, and he could smell the wonderful scent of Matty’s hair as he kissed his forehead.

“Okay,” Matty breathed, opening his eyes again to look up at George. 

George shifted his hips a bit, trying to refrain from gasping heavily at how good Matty felt. His cock throbbed, radiating pleasure through him because of how wet and tight the other man felt. He couldn’t help expressing himself, and he breathed in a staggering gasp, which Matty heard. 

“Do you like it?” he asked, looking up at George’s face, which was right above his own. 

His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open as he breathed. “Yes,” he was finally able to stammer, moving himself in and out of Matty again, already feeling shocks of pleasure rolling through his limbs. His body melted as his muscles relaxed, and he rested his face in the pillow next to Matty’s, his lips pressing into the prince’s shoulder. 

Pleasure was starting to roll through Matty as well; whenever George thrusted into him, a sensation surged through him that he wanted to feel again and again. He sighed deeply as he began to enjoy the way George moved. 

George noticed the shift in Matty’s breathing, and began to move with more confidence, as he knew it was bringing Matty’s pleasure as well as his own. He moaned into Matty’s ear, adoring the feeling that washed over him. To be this close with Matty, to be able to communicate with breaths and moans and movements, to be able to feel Matty’s body underneath his own, it was the most wonderful thing he had ever felt. He didn’t think he was going to last very long, not with the way Matty was making him feel. 

Matty was beginning to moan as well. With each thrust, George was making him feel more pleasure. His own hips began bucking upwards, wanting to meet George’s as they moved together, and his hands gripped viciously at George’s ass, pulling him closer and deeper. 

George hummed into Matty’s ear as his muscles went limp from pleasure; the only thing that was driving him now was the insatiable desire to come. Despite how weak he felt, he continued thrusting, in and out and in again, gliding smoothly inside Matty. He tried to slow his thrusts to draw out his orgasm, but Matty’s firm grip on his waist kept him going at quick pace. “Matty,” he breathed, “fuck, I’m close.” 

Matty, despite being repeatedly jostled by the intensity of George’s thrusts, nodded in response, and reached his hand between the two of them to touch himself. Perhaps if he timed it correctly, they could come at the same time. He started stroking, his hand squeezed between their torsos to wrap around his cock, matching the speed of his movements with George’s. 

Feeling Matty’s knuckles rub against his belly, George figured out exactly what he was doing. He wanted to replace Matty’s hand with his own, to make Matty come himself, but he needed his arms for balance, and his muscles were too weak to do anything but hold him up anyways.

Matty whimpered underneath him, his head rolling from side to side. George kept thrusting, getting dangerously close to the edge himself. Matty’s exhales fell heavily across his face. 

“G-george,” Matty wailed in a tone that was all too familiar. He was about to come. George thrust especially deep into the prince, his own face scrunching up as he felt his orgasm reach its high point. 

Matty cried out loudly as he came, throwing his head back and arching himself closer to George. He felt his come shoot out of his cock, easily coating both of their bellies. 

George felt Matty’s orgasm squirt over him, and then came himself, pressing deeply and moaning harshly as his orgasm took over him, and he felt himself spill into Matty. He gave a few more half-hearted thrusts, but his strength had been drained, and he collapsed onto Matty and fought for breath. 

Matty relaxed his legs, which had been bent up to his chest until now. He gasped for air, a sheen of sweat covering both of them in a way that made their bodies slick. They couldn’t let go of each other; Matty ran his fingers over George’s damp back, feeling the other man’s chest rise and fall. 

After groggily lifting his head, George began pressing lazy kisses across Matty’s collarbone and savored the salty taste of his skin. Matty hummed in response, continuing to stroke his back. “That was…” he started, searching for the right word. 

“Amazing,” George said, pressing a kiss into his neck, “wonderful,” he kissed again, “lovely…” He turned his head to kiss Matty again on the other side of his throat, but Matty stopped him and pressed their lips together softly. 

“Yes,” Matty agreed as he pulled away, “all of those.” 

George rolled off of Matty and onto his back next to him. Matty’s mess of come remained on both of them. 

“Oops,” Matty said when he looked down at their stomachs, and then searched for something to clean them off with. The tray that their fruit had arrived on had a napkin on it, which Matty grabbed from the bedside table. He cleaned George off first, wiping away the mess before starting to do the same to himself. George placed his hand over his, silently offering to clean Matty up himself, and Matty let him. When he was done, he tossed the used napkin aside. 

The room was nearly dark now, as the fireplace had almost burned out, and their bedside candle had gone out long ago. George wrapped his arm around Matty’s waist and snuggled him close, pressing them together. Matty loved the warmth he got from George’s skin and kissed him one more time before settling into his pillow. “Thank you.” 

“Why are you thanking me?” George asked as he ran his hand along Matty’s hip. 

Matty shrugged sleepily. “For making this a wonderful night.” 

George pressed his lips gently to the tip of Matty’s nose. “Thank you for trusting me.” 

Sleep was creeping up on Matty quickly; they had stayed up later than normal, as they had taken their time having sex. He nodded groggily and settled into George’s chest contently. “Goodnight, George.” 

George kissed the top of his head. “Goodnight,” he whispered, feeling as if his world was complete because he had his favorite person falling asleep in his arms. He didn’t dare move out of fear of waking Matty up, not that he would have anyways. He only stayed awake for a little while longer, replaying their evening activities over and over in his mind, until his eyes finally slipped closed and he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my favorite chapter to write, not only for the emotional meaning, but because of the circumstance I was in as I wrote it. It was a few weeks ago, around 2am, and there was a huge thunderstorm going on outside. Studio 6 by Matt Maltese came on my spotify, and the mood that comes with the sound of that song greatly inspired the tone of this chapter. x


	6. The Interview

Matty woke naturally the next morning, as he usually did, but something this morning was out of place. As he came back into consciousness, he stretched his legs out beneath the blankets, and his toes came into contact with someone else’s warm body. 

He woke up quickly, turning his head to lay eyes on George, who was still fast asleep. This had never happened before; George was always gone by the time Matty woke up. Today was different though, and he must have overslept after their especially late night together. 

Matty watched him sleep for a little while. His skin was fresh and dewy in the morning light, and his hair was a mess around his head. He slept on his back with his head tilted towards Matty. One arm was resting on his stomach, the other laying on the mattress between them, the side of his hand against Matty’s leg. He breathed slowly and quietly, and Matty enjoyed the way his chest rose and fell. 

Matty didn’t want to wake him up, not yet anyways. This was like a dream for him, to wake up next to George, and he didn’t want it to end just yet. He remained still and quiet to keep from disturbing him. In the back of his mind, he knew that George had his job downstairs to attend to, but Matty was the prince, after all, and knew he could lie to the butler about needing George to help him with something that morning to keep him out of trouble. Just this once. 

After wandering in and out of sleep for the next half hour, it was getting to be around mid-morning, and Matty missed talking to George. Ever so gently, he slid his fingertips along George’s arm and worked his way up to his bicep. He then pressed his lips there, sucking just enough on the soft skin to make a kissing noise when he released. He felt George begin to stir under his touch, so he shifted a bit closer and pressed his body into George’s side while he continued to kiss George’s body. 

George sighed sleepily as he woke up to the feeling of fluttering kisses moving across collarbone. He already knew it was Matty, as he had dreamed of this many times before. His arms braced around Matty’s back, pulling him closer and giving him the room to shift his weight onto George’s torso. 

Matty straddled George’s waist as he was guided, loving the grip of George’s hands on his hips. He moved his lips up to George’s neck, kissing wetly. “Morning,” he breathed softly as he continued to kiss. 

Suddenly, George jolted awake, startling Matty and nearly sending him off the edge of the bed, but thankfully his thighs were tight enough around George’s hips to keep him in place. 

“I’m late!” George exclaimed, his eyes going wide, immediately tensing. 

Matty was quick though, and touched his hands softly to either side of George’s face. “It’s okay,” he soothed, trying to calm George down. “Stay, just this once. I’ll make sure you don’t get in trouble. Please, stay.” 

“What about if someone comes in, like your valet?” His eyes scanned over Matty’s face. 

Matty shook his head. “He won’t come until I ring for him. No one will bother us.” He gently ran his fingers down George’s jawline. 

George’s grip didn’t loosen on Matty’s hips, because if he was being honest, waking up to Matty’s kisses was the best thing he’d ever woken up to. “Are you sure?” he said, a hesitant look still in his eyes.

Matty nodded and returned to kissing George’s neck, similar to what George had done to him the night before. “Yes,” he breathed. “Just…” he kissed his neck, “ten more,” he kissed again, “minutes.” He began licking and biting down George’s chest and belly as he slid his hips down George’s legs. 

George didn’t protest again, not with the way Matty was acting this morning. Sure, this had happened accidentally, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t going to take advantage of spending this time with one another. 

As they were both still naked from the night before, there wasn’t much else to be done as Matty kissed across George’s stomach. George looked down at him adoringly, enjoying the way the prince’s messy curls tickled his skin. He could feel his cock hardening already. 

Matty started stroking him slowly, kissing around his pelvis as he did so. He listened as George sighed softly, his dick responding and coming to life in Matty’s palm. Matty looked up at him through his hair to find that George was watching him, which made him blush. 

He took George in his mouth slowly and loved at the long sigh it drew out of the other man. They were in no rush today, and that’s exactly how Matty acted; he took his time each time he ran his tongue up and down George’s length. 

Not that George minded; this was different than usual. On any given night, they desperately tore at each other’s clothes and hurriedly got each other off, but this morning was calmer. There were no clothes thrown to the floor, no shoving each other to the bed, no frantic words about what they wanted. It was just the two of them, taking their time to enjoy the rare opportunity to spend a morning in bed together. 

Matty’s slow pace remained constant for the entire time, and George loved it. Everything seemed so much more drawn out, every roll of pleasure through him lasted longer, and when he hit his peak right before his orgasm where he held his breath in anticipation, Matty held him there for longer than normal before letting him drop over the edge. He sucked a little bit, feeling George’s come on his tongue. George squirmed underneath him as his hips thrashed into Matty’s mouth with his hands firmly tangled in the prince’s hair. It was hard for him to stay quiet, so he didn’t, and let out a few short groans followed by a longer low one before relaxing his limbs and melting back into the mattress. 

Matty swallowed everything he could, but George had thrusted so deep into his mouth when he came that it was hard to swallow everything. He knew he had a bit dribbling out of the corner of his mouth, but he didn’t want to wipe it because he wanted George to see. When he released George, he looked up at him again and saw that the other man was looking down at him lovingly with a satiated grin on his face. He felt George’s large hands pull on him a little, asking for Matty to return up the bed to kiss him. 

Matty happily obliged, moving back up the length of George’s body. George took one of his fingers and swiped gently at the corner of Matty’s mouth, cleaning up the bit of spillage that remained. Matty licked it delicately from his fingertip, much to George’s enjoyment. 

George pulled Matty into his chest, and the two relaxed together for the rest of the morning, hovering on the precipice of sleep but not daring to slip into unconsciousness out of fear for letting the time pass too quickly. 

.:.

Matty escorted George back downstairs once they were both dressed again, and made sure that it was known that he had requested George’s assistance that morning, and that he wasn’t late. The butler was apologetic, sincerely accepting the story without a second doubt. 

When Matty had to leave, he wanted to kiss George goodbye, but refrained from doing so, and stuck with the memory of where they had said goodbye already in Matty’s bedroom. Instead, Matty bowed his head curtly and left to join his family in the dining room for breakfast. 

His mother fussed over him when he entered the dining room. “Matthew,” she sighed. “That’s not what we agreed for you to wear today.” 

He looked at her quizzically for a moment, and then he remembered. Today was the day that a reporter and a photographer were coming to interview Matty and Catherine. He had been dreading it, so much so that he refused to think of it, which was probably why today had snuck up on him. He really did not want to do this. 

“I know,” he told his mother, avoiding eye contact he sat down in hopes she wouldn’t detect his lie. “I planned to change after breakfast.” 

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer, and returned to her food. 

Matty glanced at Catherine and saw her acting oddly reserved. She usually kept up small talk with him or his family, but today she sat quietly and avoided eye contact as she ate. 

The prince sat stiffly, his bum sore from the night before, but that was okay. Every time he shifted, he was reminded of what he and George had done and he didn’t mind that in the slightest. He was running late this morning, as per usual, and knew he would have to hurry through his meal so that he could get ready before the news team arrived in the castle. 

Nobody seemed to be chatting today, not even Genevieve, which improved Matty’s mood. Maybe the only person he would have to fake his happiness to today would be this reporter. 

After breakfast, Matty went upstairs to change into a finer coat and shoes. His valet helped him change, making sure that everything looked pristine for the photos about to be taken. Matty stared longingly at his bed as he was dressed and played through in his mind what he and George had done there merely hours before. The whole room seemed sadder when George wasn’t in it. 

When the team from the newspaper arrived, Matty’s family and the Hillertons greeted them in the foyer. The reporter was a thin man, but good natured and a warm pink in his cheeks. He was also quite a fan of the arrangement between Matty and Catherine. 

“Lady Catherine!” he exclaimed as he bent to kiss her hand. “I am delighted to meet you. You look absolutely glowing; pre-bridal excitement, I assume.” 

Catherine blushed and thanked him for his kind words. 

He then turned to Matty. “Prince Matthew, may I say how absolutely lucky you are to have the most beautiful girl as a fiancée I have ever known of?”

Matty, knowing his manners, thanked the man graciously. When the reporter turned, though, he exchanged a glance with his sister Genevieve. She rolled her eyes, too. 

The interviewer, whose name was Mr. Hollows, asked Matty’s mother if they could take the photos first, to which she agreed. She said she already had a few places around the castle that would be appropriate for engagement photos. He asked her to lead the way, and then beckoned the photographer to follow, who was a quiet man that hadn’t introduced himself to anyone. 

Matty took Catherine’s arm, as was expected, and they followed without speaking, leaving the rest of their families in the foyer. 

Throughout the photoshoot, he noticed the change in Catherine’s mood. He saw a side of her that he had never seen before; she seemed reserved, as if she was more in her own head and not paying attention to her surroundings. At the same time, she was more considerate of Matty, and their moods seemed to match. 

Matty hoped the photos turned out well, but he really had no idea. He knew he was supposed to be selling their relationship, that the two of them were supposed to be a dream couple that were head over heels for each other, but it was very clear that they weren’t. Mr. Hollows didn’t seem to notice, as his enthusiasm for the couple didn’t deteriorate as he posed them in countless ways. 

“Turn your head, stand up straight, look at her, hands right there, yes, just like that, now smile a bit,” he said, and then the camera flash went off. “Good!” Mr. Hollows exclaimed, and then moved them into the next pose. It was actually almost mindless work, but unfortunately for Matty, his mind was whirring with other topics. He was thinking about Catherine, and how she seemed so… different. He hoped that she perked up before the interview started, because he was really relying on her enthusiasm and bubbliness to make the both of them look good for the people of the kingdom. 

After countless photos had been taken, they took a quick break before moving into the living room to be interviewed. On their way over, Matty pulled Catherine aside in the hallway. 

“Are you okay?” he asked her, perplexed as to why her mood was so different today. 

Catherine looked at him for a moment, opening her mouth before closing it again as she thought of something to say. 

“Are you unwell? We could cancel the interview, maybe reschedule it next week or something,” Matty offered. 

“No,” Catherine said. “No, I’m fine. This interview is a necessary part of our engagement.” 

“Something’s bothering you, though,” Matty pressed. 

She stayed silent for another moment. “I’m sorry,” she said, her face suddenly dropping. “I keep thinking about what you said yesterday, and I’m so sorry for coming along and-” 

For some reason, Matty hugged her. For once, his stomach didn’t lurch at the contact of this person who had suddenly come into his life to become his wife. Instead, he saw her as a person, as someone who was in the same forced marriage situation he was in. Nobody else understood his lack of excitement for their arrangement more than she did. He hushed her gently. “Don’t feel bad,” he said. “This is beyond our control, especially your control. This is my problem.” 

“I made you break up with a girl you love,” Catherine said sadly. “I will never stop feeling guilty for that.” 

Matty’s insides squirmed as he lied to her, but he knew he didn’t have another choice. “I used to love her,” he corrected, albeit an untrue statement. The words felt awkward on his tongue. “You told me when we met that you believed in making the best of this situation,” he said, “and I am working towards that now.” 

Catherine nodded. “I’m still sorry.” 

“It’s not your fault.” 

They looked at each other for a moment, although neither had any more words to say. Although they were engaged, they still felt like strangers, or acquaintances, maybe. Their situation was much more personal than that, but there was nothing to be done. Their families had expectations, hers just as much as Matty’s, and they had no choice but to live up to them. It seemed as though they were both becoming better at accepting their arrangement with each other. It was still uncomfortable, yes, but at least they weren’t repulsed by each other anymore and could offer comfort to each other when one of them was feeling particularly down. 

Catherine took a deep breath in and wrapped her arms around Matty’s, ready to be escorted back into the living room. Before his eyes, she seemed to throw out the upset face and put on a mask of her old glowing self. “Right. We need to get this over with. Big smile, yes?” she smiled a wide, bright, and fake smile at him. “I’ll handle most of the talking, if you want.” 

Matty nodded gratefully, still amazed at her ability to cope with her sadness, and led her back to Mr. Hollows so they could conduct the interview. 

.:.

Late that night, Matty and George sat together in bed, naked and satiated from their evening activities. They snacked on some fruit, feeding it to each other as they pleased. Neither was especially tired, despite the late hour, so they stayed up together and discussed whatever topics came to mind. Matty was reclined back on some pillows, the bowl of fruit on his belly, and George lay on his side next to him so that the lengths of their bodies were touching. Matty had one arm around George’s shoulder, and traced his fingertips lazily over his upper arm. Between playful bites and kisses, George listened to Matty tell him about his day. 

“That Mr. Hollows was a twat though,” Matty scoffed, rifling through their bowl of fruit for a piece of banana, which he knew was George’s favorite. 

“Did he ask too many questions?” George asked before letting Matty feed him the piece of fruit.

Matty shrugged. “Not really, I don’t think he talked to us for more than twenty minutes. It was just that some of the questions were quite personal,” he said as he let George take the fruit from him with his mouth. 

“Oh?” George asked, his mouth full. 

“Yeah, like asking about how we spent our time together. Thank god Catherine is quick on her feet. She fed him some really good stories. He even asked what our plans for the future were, and then tried to get us to talk about kids.” 

George cringed. “Really?” 

“It was weird,” Matty shuddered, “but he’s the head reporter in town. He knows how to give the people what they want.” He sighed. He had realized a long time ago that his people wanted nothing more from him than a good love story, but to be interrogated about it directly was much more upsetting. Plus, the kid thing really had set him off. He knew it was expected of him, as he was to be king one day, but he felt nauseous at the thought of it still.

“Hey,” George said softly, noting Matty’s drop in mood. He touched his fingers softly to his chin. “It’s alright, it’s over with now.” 

Matty nodded, still feeling down. He removed the now empty bowl from his body and set it aside. “I’m so sorry I’m dragging you through all of this. I wish I wasn’t a prince, that none of this was happening. I wish we had nowhere to be and nothing to our name and could leave everything behind and never come back.” 

George sat up and propped himself on his elbow. He pressed a kiss to Matty’s shoulder. “That’s not how it is, love.” When Matty didn’t respond, he continued. “If you weren’t the prince, we never would have met in the first place. Besides, our arrangement isn’t too bad. I would much rather spend my days loving you and my nights being with you than never having met you at all.” 

That made Matty feel a little better. “Maybe I should call off the wedding. I can handle whatever wrath my father brings down on me for it, but at least I wouldn’t have to be with anyone else but you.” 

George stayed quiet for a moment, as even he had to admit that possibility was tempting. He hated the idea of Matty having to portray being in a loving marriage with someone he wasn’t, but they didn’t have another realistic choice. “That wouldn’t work either, love,” he sighed. “If Catherine leaves, I leave with her.” 

Matty knew he was right. George belonged to the Hillerton family, after all. If Matty refused to marry her, she and her family would leave the castle, and they would take the servants they had brought with them. 

George kissed his soft skin again. “We still have each other,” he said. “We can at least enjoy what we already have.” 

Matty knew he loved George already, but in this moment he felt as if the feeling overwhelmed him, so much it nearly made him cry. He kissed him, trying to express how he felt without words because they were never enough. 

George kissed him back, slowly. He adored the feeling and taste of Matty’s lips, as he knew that there was nothing else quite like them. They had gotten so used to kissing each other by now that it had become second nature. 

Matty nudged his forehead against George’s and pressed a little kiss into his nose before cuddling into George’s chest. “I love you, George.” 

George stroked Matty’s hair, which was still frizzy from where he had been pulling on it earlier. He pressed his lips to the top of his head. “I love you, too.” And he did, more than anything. He admired him even more for going through what he was in order for them to stay together. 

He braced his arms gently around the smaller man, and they talked softly about nothing in particular for a while, just enjoying the sounds of each other’s voice.

“Oh, I meant to ask you,” George said, his hand sliding from Matty’s back to below his waist, “do you feel okay today?” His hand squeezed gently. 

Matty’s cheeks tinged pink as he blushed. “Just a little sore,” he muttered, pressing his face more into George’s body. “It’ll go away soon.” He was slightly embarrassed that he was still aching today. He really wanted to try having sex again with George, but he knew that his body wouldn’t let him for a few more days. He didn’t even remember George being that rough with him the night before, but perhaps he had been too invested in the moment to care. 

George dragged his fingers along Matty’s smooth skin. “Shit, I’m sorry,” George said, and kissed his forehead softly. As he heard Matty admit his discomfort, his heart sunk down into his stomach. “I didn’t mean to… we don’t have to…” he sputtered guiltily. 

“No no no,” Matty said, looking up at George’s face and catching his nervous expression. “I loved it, I want to do it again,” he assured him, touching his hand to George’s chest. “Just, uh, not tonight,” he admitted, embarrassed. 

George gently pressed closer to the other man, wanting to provide comfort and assure him that it was alright. He nodded and kissed him again. He was extra gentle with Matty now, as he was now hyperaware of just how much smaller he was in comparison. The last thing he wanted to cause Matty was pain, and he already felt bad for Matty’s soreness today. His lips moved softly, and he let Matty control the pace. 

To his surprise, he felt Matty’s cock nudge him between the sheets. George broke their kiss, looking down Matty’s body. “Again?” he chuckled. They had just gotten each other off barely half an hour ago. 

Matty laughed nervously. “Er- it wants what it wants,” he said. “You just happen to be very attractive.” 

George smirked. “Hm,” he said, feigning that he was deep in thought about whether or not to get Matty off again. “Well, let’s see…” he trailed off as his hand dragged along Matty’s thigh. “Maybe I shouldn’t,” he said, just as his hand reached Matty’s cock.

Matty squirmed at the contact, gasping as he felt George’s large hand enclose around him. “P-please,” he stuttered, his back arching and his eyes slipping closed. 

George loved watching Matty react to his touch. He kissed Matty’s neck again, humming softly. “I think you want me to.” 

Matty muttered a desperate agreement, feeling himself throb. He bucked his hips towards George. 

When George thought he had given Matty enough teasing, he moved down the bed and took him in his mouth. He moved slowly, similarly to what Matty had done to him that morning. Matty moaned and squirmed and gripped firmly at George’s hair, and George loved every minute of it. Matty took a little longer to come than he normally did because this was his second time of the evening, but George didn’t mind. He kept his movements steady and let Matty enjoy his drawn out pleasure. Through his lashes, George watched Matty’s expressions change as he got closer to his orgasm; he bit his lip, scrunched his brow, or dropped his jaw whenever he needed more air. His legs clenched around George’s head as he reached the end.

He took Matty to the back of his throat when he came, and swallowed around his cock as he felt it squirt into him. 

When the prince had collapsed into the bed, his limbs buzzing and warm, George scooped him up and cradled his body next to his own. He stroked Matty’s unruly hair, curling any loose strands back behind his ears. 

“Good?” George asked him to make sure he was alright. 

Matty nodded sleepily. “Very,” he said as a faint smile appeared on his lips. 

George kissed his forehead again before settling into the pillows on the bed and getting ready to fall asleep. Matty felt so warm in his arms, his body pressed so closely to his own. He smelled vaguely of sex and soap and whatever else that made Matty’s scent his own, and it was George’s favorite. 

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, like they always did. George had grown so used to it now that he doubted it would be possible for him to sleep without Matty cuddled next to him. He kissed Matty’s temple one last time, just for good measure, and then decided to go to sleep himself.


	7. The Ball

In the weeks leading up to Matty’s wedding, he tried not to think about his upcoming nuptials, but the excitement everyone else had for the big day seemed to be around the castle constantly. Matty avoided it as much as he could, ducking out of the room when he wasn’t needed so that no one would ask him about it. Instead, he spent his time focusing on George and how much he enjoyed their nights together. For a while, the prince was able to block everything else out completely, managing to scrape through the day and return to George’s loving arms every night. They never talked about the wedding, instead spending their time making love and spilling secrets and making each other laugh. Those were the times when Matty was truly happy. 

Within the week before the wedding though, things got worse. Visitors from all over the country came to stay in the castle in preparation for the big day. Extra servants were hired to support the guests and additional work hours that needed to be put in before the wedding. Family, friends, strangers, no matter where Matty went during the day he always managed to run into someone. Florists and bakers and decorators and photographers were all on Matty’s list of people to avoid, but that became more complicated as the wedding drew closer. To make it all worse, the weather outside had worsened now that it was mid-December, and Matty didn’t bother escaping to the gardens when he needed fresh air because it was too cold to stay out for very long. 

He kept his mask of happiness on, though, and it seemed like his parents approved of his improved behavior, even though Matty felt like his father was suspicious he would break at any second. The king kept his glances at his son stern in order to keep him in check. 

Lady Catherine remained as friendly as ever with Matty during this time. She really was a nice person, even though there was an unavoidable awkward air between them. Matty would be forever grateful that she wasn’t pushy and didn’t expect Matty to be romantic with her when there weren’t visitors or cameras around. He doubted she would even have wanted him to, given her attitude towards him lately. They made each other as comfortable as possible by only being together when their duties required it of them. 

The night before the wedding, there was a ball held in the castle. Matty had never seen the castle so full of people, and most of them he had never met before. There was an abundance of food and drink that everyone enjoyed, everyone except for Matty. 

Matty had already been sick twice that day, and had given up on eating a few hours before. He and his bride were in the spotlight this evening, and it would look best if the groom-to-be wasn’t ducking off to the toilets every half hour. 

The first dance of the evening was for them, and it began around nine o’clock. Matty, dressed in his best suit of his family’s colors, escorted Catherine to the middle of the dance floor. People cheered as they walked, as this would be their last party together as unmarried. A hush fell over the room when they took their places in the middle of the floor. She was wearing a gown that Matty had never seen on her before. It was a rich emerald green with golden accents in the beading and tulle. Her skirt was enormous on the sides, and her hair was done up in an intricate bun. Matty knew she enjoyed being so dressed up. 

The orchestra began, and they began swaying back and forth like they had been trained since they were little children. Matty hoped his hands weren’t disgustingly sweaty and that he wouldn’t become nauseous again during their dance. Thankfully, they were able to get through it without incident. Catherine remained poised, as she had such a talent for it, and soon other couples were joining them and they were lost amongst the crowd. 

They danced for the first two songs, and then mutually agreed that that was enough for at least the next half hour. They left the dance floor in separate directions. 

Matty wandered the outskirts of the crowd around the dance floor, keeping his eye out for his favorite people. His pace was agonizingly slow, as it felt like every person wanted to stop him and congratulate him on getting married. Matty would uphold a moment of small talk with strangers that knew him but he had never seen before, and then continue around the floor. 

“Genevieve!” he called upon spotting his sister, who was having a conversation with some other elegantly dressed ladies. Her face lit up when she saw him and excused herself from her friends. 

She embraced him. “How is your evening?” she asked, taking a small sip of her champagne. By the flush in her cheeks, Matty knew she had been having a wonderful evening so far. 

“Let’s dance,” he offered her, ignoring her question, and she gladly accepted. They walked to the dance floor together, during which time Genevieve placed her half empty glass on one of the many silver trays servants walked around carrying. 

Matty’s sister made him feel somewhat comfortable again, as he knew he didn’t have to put up a facade around her. 

“You look lovely,” he complimented her. 

“Thank you,” she smiled. Neither of them said anything for a moment as they danced. “You’ve had quite a large turn out to your rehearsal,” she said facetiously. “You must be popular in town or something.” 

Matty smirked, enjoying his sister’s quality of being able to lighten any situation. 

“Congratulations on such a lovely bride,” she said, glancing over at Catherine, who was chatting on the edge of the dance floor with gaggle of other unmarried girls. “She seems like a good match for you.” Her voice remained flat, her eyes telling a different story than her words. Matty knew she was only saying it for the people around them to hear.

That struck a chord in Matty’s chest, and he didn’t know how to respond. “Thanks.” 

“I think she’ll make you very happy,” she continued in her lovely voice, although her expression told Matty otherwise. “You’ve handled all of this so well. It’s been lovely to see your relationship with her evolve over the past few weeks. You’re doing the right thing.” 

Matty suddenly felt ashamed, even though his sister wasn’t being serious. Was he really doing the right thing? Sure, he was doing what was required of him, but was it really right to enter into a set up marriage with no other intent but to please the people? Even he couldn’t believe he had made it this far without losing his mind. A part of him knew that it was only because of George that he was able to hold his sanity to the night before his wedding. “I’m a lucky man,” he said, playing along with his sister’s game. 

Genevieve’s voice dropped to almost a whisper the next time she spoke. “I know you don’t love her,” Genevieve said quietly, looking up at him as they danced. This was a scandalous conversation for them to be having in the middle of the crowd, but perhaps that was the best place to have a secret conversation, as no one could eavesdrop through the loud music and dancing people. 

Matty nodded, admitting his lack of feelings for Lady Catherine. He knew he never would love her, not in the way a man was supposed to love his wife. He wasn’t able to form a verbal response. The stress of the day had already been too much, but thinking about spending his life not being able to love his spouse, or to not have a spouse he loved, made him want to cry. He looked away from his sister. 

“Matty,” she said sympathetically as she pulled him closer and rested her face on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, where no one else could hear. And she was. It pained her to see her brother so unhappy, but she knew this was just the way things were. Even more, both of them knew this was the last bit of time they had together before the wedding the next day. She was almost crying, but refused to let any tears go. She knew to keep her emotions to herself. “I am so proud of you,” she said. “You’ll make a good king one day.”

Hearing his sister say that meant more than anything to him, and he squeezed her in a sort of makeshift hug as they continued to dance. Not everyone would be so nice to him on an evening such as tonight, but his sister knew him better than most and knew how to cheer him up. He was incredibly grateful to have her support no matter what. No more words were needed between them, and when the song ended, they parted, Matty feeling better than he had at the beginning of the dance.

The night pressed on without much excitement. Matty alternated between dancing with Catherine and mingling with the guests throughout the crowd. Making small talk was easy, as everyone seemed to have something they wanted to say to him. Although, the topic of conversation was usually the wedding, which made Matty feel nauseous, so he actually preferred dancing with Catherine in order to pass the time until midnight.

As was tradition, the bride and groom weren’t allowed to see each other on their wedding day, so when it was almost midnight, the orchestra stopped. The king stood from his throne at the end of the hallway, and a hush fell over the room. His loud voice booming, the king thanked everyone for attending the ball, and said that it was time for the future bride and groom to part for the evening. Four guards, two for Catherine and two for Matty, entered the hall. The couple was separately escorted from the party and into the directions of their respective bedrooms. This was the last they would see each other before the wedding ceremony tomorrow. 

Matty was thankful that the ball was over, at least for him. The other guests would stay and drink and dance until the wee hours of the morning, but he was to stay in his room for the remainder of the night. He didn’t look back as he left the ballroom; his patience with the public was long gone for the day. 

The guards took him up to his room and opened the door for him. Once Matty was inside, they bowed their heads curtly and left, leaving the prince alone. 

Matty felt tremendously relaxed once he no longer felt the eyes of people on him. He immediately loosened his collar and began unfastening the buttons. He only had to wait an hour until George would come to visit him. He just had to not think about the wedding for an hour and then everything would be alright.

.:.

When George came into Matty’s room later that night, they threw themselves into the moment. Tonight was the last night that things would be so easy for them, the last night where both of them were single men who didn’t have any other nightly expectations, so both of them anticipated a night without hesitations.

Matty ran to meet George at the door, jumping up on him and holding himself around his waist by his legs. George was equally as excited to see him, and happily brought their lips together as Matty gripped onto him tightly. 

They didn’t care when they accidentally knocked against a wall on their stumble to the bedroom. They didn’t care when Matty’s foot knocked over a stack of books when George dropped him onto the bed. They didn’t care when their teeth collided between desperate kisses as they struggled to get their clothes off hastily. 

None of it mattered, not really, because tonight was about them. Their clothes were thrown across the room without a worry if any buttons had accidentally popped off or tearing the fabric, they just cared about getting to be together. 

Matty loved when George pressed his hips down against him in a slow rolling pattern, and he let out a low moan to encourage him. He clung at George’s neck, refusing to let go as he kissed wherever his lips could reach. 

It wasn’t long before Matty was whimpering for George to touch him, so George blindly reached for the lube on the bedside table, his large fingers fumbling with the glass bottle. He started lathering up, both himself and Matty, enjoying the expression on Matty’s face as he touched between his legs. When they were both dripping, George shoved the bottle aside and dove back into Matty’s neck, kissing and biting and sucking on the Matty’s delicate skin as he lined himself up with his entrance. 

“Mmm… wait,” Matty said heavily, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. 

George stopped, looking down at the prince. His cock pulsed hotly, and he was desperate to feel Matty around him. 

Matty pushed on George’s shoulders, turning slightly as he did, so George leaned to the side and let Matty guide him onto his back. He situated himself on the pillows, the rest of his body relaxed. Then, Matty straddled his hips, and George’s eyes widened. They hadn’t done this before. 

Matty braced one hand on George’s chest and reached the other between his legs to align George with his entrance, and then exchanged a quick glance with George to assure that this was okay. When he received a nod of encouragement, Matty slowly began to sit back. 

George’s hands went immediately to Matty’s hips, resting there as he breathed heavily through his nose. Matty felt even more wonderful in this position. 

After a while of adjusting, Matty began to slowly raise himself up and down on George’s cock, clumsily trying to find a steady rhythm. He fumbled awkwardly as he moved to angle his hips in different ways to make George slide inside him comfortably. It wasn’t as easy as he thought it was going to be, and his muscles burned from adjusting and moving himself, but he desperately wanted to make George feel good, so he stuck with it. He kept his eyes cast downwards on himself, as if watching his hips move would make it easier. He nearly cried out in frustration, his body screaming to fill his urge to feel pleasure, and tried adjusting his angle of approach again. He didn’t feel nearly as powerful or sexy as he had just a minute ago.

George, noticing his partner’s exasperation, tightened his grip on Matty’s hips and held him still. 

Matty looked up at him nervously, a few of his frizzy curls in his face, and stopped moving. 

Reaching for Matty’s hands, George laced their fingers together, and then braced his own elbows on the mattress in order to give the prince more stability as he thrusted. 

Matty tested the base George’s arms gave him by putting some of his body weight on his hands, and smiled when he realized he could move more easily. 

Then, gently, George lifted his hips upwards. Matty felt the man beneath him move and raised himself so that he was following George’s lead. When George began to move downwards, Matty did as well. They began slowly, George guiding Matty’s hips with his own so that Matty could learn how to do it properly. 

Luckily, Matty was a fast learner, and as soon as he got into a rhythm, he began moving on his own. Their hips thrusted together in sync, and Matty’s breathing picked up as he began to feel pleasure. He couldn’t help the smile that formed on his face as he looked down at George as they smoothly moved together. 

George kept him stable as well as he could, his grip tight on Matty’s hands. Not only did he love watching Matty move over him, but he couldn’t believe how good he felt in this position. He hummed pleasantly, encouraging Matty to keep going. 

Neither one of them cared how much noise they made; perhaps they were a bit more vocal than usual because of the significance of the night. Their moans escaped them freely; they panted and grunted and said each other’s names whenever they wanted to feel it on their lips. 

Matty’s thighs burned harshly underneath him, but he didn’t mind as much as he did before; it was easy to ignore it when George’s cock was bringing him as much pleasure as it was. He adored being able to read George’s expression and see how he was making him feel, and he loved the feelings rushing over his own body, too. 

He had actually gotten pretty good at keeping a steady rhythm going and didn’t rely on George’s hands as much. George noticed this, as less of Matty’s weight was on his wrists. Slowly, George freed one of his own hands, making sure the prince was still stable without it, which he was. Then, he reached between their bodies and gripped Matty’s hard cock, stimulating it as Matty thrusted around him. 

Matty cried out at the added pleasure, whimpers escaping his mouth as he kept up the pace. They were so into each other and making so much noise that they didn’t notice when someone else entered the room. They didn’t, that is, until the sound of glass breaking on the floor echoed throughout the suite, followed by a small gasp and curse word.

Matty jumped, not expecting to hear a noise come from behind him like that. He immediately threw himself off George and grabbed desperately at the sheets to cover the both of them. When he managed to turn around, he saw his sister, her mouth open and her eyes wide. 

Matty’s voice seemed to get stuck in his throat. “G-Genevieve,” he stuttered, frantically wrapping the bedsheet around his naked torso. “Fuck.” 

Genevieve seemed frozen in fear, her fingers still open from where her champagne glass was before she dropped it. 

George remained stunned as well, his eyes glancing nervously back and forth between the prince and the princess. 

“Ginny, please, give me one moment,” Matty said, holding up his hand to try to calm her down. The other hand firmly held onto the bedsheet around his waist. “I can explain.” 

“Oh my god,” she said, and quickly brought a hand up to cover her eyes. “Shit, I should- oh, fuck,” she stuttered through her words as she turned to leave.

George’s mind was beginning to process everything. They had been found out, they were going to be in trouble… a million horrible endings swirled through his mind all at once. 

“Ginny, please wait, I’ll explain, please give me just one moment!” Matty seemed desperate, but at least he was able to talk during the unexpected turn in events, which was more than George was able to do. 

The princess retreated into Matty’s sitting room, and Matty threw himself from the bed and quickly searched around the floor for some pants to put on. 

George watched as he did so, still glued to the mattress. He tried to speak, but his throat was too dry to say anything. He swallowed and tried again. “Matty?” he asked nervously, his voice hoarse. 

Matty had never heard George sound so scared before. “I trust her,” he said quickly, picking up his pants and shoving his ankles through the proper holes. “We have to trust her.” 

George felt his stomach tighten at the idea, but he knew he didn’t have a choice now. He nodded numbly, taking Matty’s word for it. 

“Stay here,” Matty said once he had his pants on. “I can handle this, yeah?” 

George couldn’t move, as he was still in shock at the sudden turn of events. “Y-you sure?” 

Although Matty was in the process of pulling his shirt over his head and couldn’t see George, he could tell from the tone in his voice that he was terrified. Matty felt horribly nervous as well, but he knew George needed him to be the strong one right now, and that’s what he intended to do. “She’s my sister, I’ll talk to her,” he said, and then approached his bed. He squeezed George’s hand and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I love you. It’ll be okay,” he said, looking George in the eyes. 

George nodded nervously, trying to hide the fact that he was trembling. When Matty started to pull away, he pulled him closer again and kissed him once more. “It’ll be okay,” he echoed in a whisper, and Matty nodded. 

They exchanged one more calming glance, and then Matty dashed from the room to go talk with his sister. 

When he entered the sitting room, he saw Genevieve sitting in one of the arm chairs, her hands wrapped tight around the armrests. 

He sat across from her on one of the couches. The silence was incredibly uncomfortable. 

“Ginny, I-” Matty began, but he was cut off. 

“What’s going on?” she asked, still freaking out. “Who is that?”

“I, uh, that’s George.” 

Genevieve looked at him, her eyebrows furled together, still confused. She waited for a further explanation. 

“Ginny, uh, I’m… gay,” Matty said, the words foreign on his lips. 

Genevieve looked confused for a moment more, but then her forehead eased. “Gay,” she repeated. 

Matty nodded nervously, unsure of what to say next. 

“So George is,” she said slowly, then paused. “Oh.” She shifted her gaze to the door that led to Matty’s bedroom. “Oh.” It seemed to click in her mind in that moment. “Oh, Matty,” she said, suddenly sounding sad. 

“I know,” he said, dropping his head. “It’s bad.” 

“No, no, just uh- different. Unexpected. Sorry, I can’t seem to think straight right now,” she said, bringing her hands to her head and massaging her temples. “I just saw you naked, you’ll have to give me a moment,” she said. 

This was a surprise for him. Was that… humor? Was she trying to be funny in this incredibly awful situation? He didn’t understand how anyone could take this whole scenario lightly, but then again, this was his sister. She was full of wonderful surprises. “You’re not mad?” he spoke up, suddenly not as nervous as he had been a moment ago. 

“No, no,” she said, her eyes still closed. “I just… I can’t believe I saw your ass,” she said, releasing her head to look at her brother. 

“Sorry,” he said, blushing. “You really should’ve knocked.”

She rolled her eyes jokingly. “Well pardon me for being a good sister and wanting to check on my brother before his wedding day.” 

“You were checking on me?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” she said. “You seemed so down at the party earlier, I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.” 

“Oh,” he said, toying with his hands as he did when he was feeling guilty. “Thank you.” 

“Mm,” his sister hummed, feigning annoyance. 

“So, uh,” Matty said. “Should we talk about this?” He gestured between himself and his bedroom. 

“Only if you want to,” Genevieve said, holding her hands up in defense. “I could also leave and pretend like I never saw anything.” 

“You’re really not mad?” Matty asked, incredulous. 

“No,” she said, as if it were obvious. “I mean it’s not ideal with you getting married tomorrow and all, but that relationship was in the garbage before it even started, let’s be honest.” 

He nearly laughed at her bluntness. She had a point.

“Matty, listen,” she said, “I don’t really care what makes you happy as long as you are.” 

Matty was unable to respond to that. Of all the ways he had expected his sister to react, this was not one of them. 

“So, I assume this makes you happy?” she asked, looking him straight in the face. 

Matty thought amiably of George. “He does, yes.” 

“Good,” she said, pressing her hands to her legs. “That’s all I need to know.” 

Matty was still thinking about George. It felt good to tell someone, to have someone besides the two of them knowing just how crazy they were for each other.

Genevieve smiled at them. “Well. I came up here to make sure that you were alright, and it seems you are more than that. Now all I have to do is erase my memory of you naked and then I’ll be set,” she laughed. 

Matty smiled. “I probably should get a lock for that door,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thank god it was only you that walked in.” 

“Yeah, thank goodness it was just your poor sister who now knows the position you have sex in,” she said, rubbing her eyes again. 

Matty scoffed at her. “Please, it wasn’t that bad.” He almost made a joke about how that was actually the first time they had ever done it in that position, but he decided against it. His sister had already seen more than enough.

Genevieve made a face at him. “I should go,” she said. “My friends are still downstairs.” She stood to leave, and Matty stood with her.

“You’re not going to tell anyone, right?” he asked, just to make sure. The last thing he wanted was to get George or himself in trouble.

“Not a soul,” Genevieve said with sincerity. “I’m quite a good sister, you know,” she winked. Then, she picked up the front of her skirt and left, closing the door behind her as she went to rejoin the party. 

Matty let out a huge exhale when he was alone again. That had been very close to turning into a disastrous event. His thoughts returned to George, who was still in his bedroom, and he quickly returned to him. 

George paced the room, back and forth in front of the fireplace. He had put on his pants, although he hadn’t bothered to tie them. His hand rubbed along his jawline, his eyes cast downwards as he walked. When he saw Matty enter the room, his expression perked up. 

Matty stood at a distance, not wanting to rush forward and overwhelm George in such a stressful situation. He hoovered by the door and analyzed the other man’s expressions. Thankfully, George seemed to have calmed down quite a bit since Matty had left to talk to Genevieve. 

“Is everything okay?” George asked. “I mean, I overheard, but…” he trailed off. “Are you okay?’

Matty sighed out of relief. “I was about to ask you the same thing.” He stepped closer to George, and the space between them became intimate once more. 

George nodded. “I think, I mean, yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.” 

“She won’t tell anyone, love,” Matty said, reaching for George’s hands and tangling his fingers with his own. 

George’s mind was still whirring, despite the certain calmness that came over him whenever Matty was near. “I just- I was not expecting that to happen.” A part of him was still in shock that someone had walked in on them having sex. 

“Maybe it’s not such a bad thing. It could be useful to have someone on our side, you know? She’d help us if anything ever happened,” Matty said. He stroked his thumb along the back of George’s palm.

George nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

“I just don’t want you feeling paranoid about it now,” Matty said, tilting his head sideways. “You sure you’re alright?”

George sighed while he nodded his head. He smiled a little, just so Matty would know he was being honest. He was a bit shaken up, but other than that he really was okay. “We’ll be alright,” he said. 

“Yes,” Matty agreed. “We are.” He smiled a bit too. 

They stood in silence for a while, each of them enjoying this private moment between the two of them. There was a lot of uncertainty about their future, there always had been, but they had grown to accept it. It didn’t bother them as much anymore because now they knew how to live in the moment and to be grateful for the time that they did have together, no matter what the future held. 

“Let’s just forget about it,” George said, pulling Matty back towards the bed. “I don’t want anything to ruin this night for us,” he said, knowing that Matty’s time left as an unmarried man was extremely limited. “Just you and me.”

“You and me,” Matty echoed, allowing himself to be pulled back to bed by the man he loved.


	8. The Wedding

When George woke the next morning, it was still dark outside. He shifted as he woke, but stilled when he felt the arms of Matty around his torso. The prince was still sound asleep, his face relaxed and his curls a mess around his head. His cheek was pressed closely to George’s chest. 

George watched him sleep for a little while, as he always enjoyed doing before he left Matty to go back downstairs. There was a certain calmness to watching the man he loved cuddle against his side without realizing he was being watched. George didn’t know anyone that slept more soundly than Matty. 

George rearranged his arms back around the smaller man’s body arms and enjoyed in their shared heat for a few moments more. Today was Matty’s wedding day, and it felt like George’s chest was being crushed whenever he imaged Matty getting married to anyone else but him. He knew Matty had a responsibility to his country and was doing the proper thing, but he still wished more than anything that today was actually their wedding day, and that Matty would be his forever. 

He squeezed Matty a little bit before rolling him over to his own side of the bed. George released him slowly, and Matty just snuggled into his own pillow, still asleep. Very quietly, George left the bed and dressed in his clothes from the night before, which had been left in a pile on the floor. He didn’t mind the wrinkles; being with Matty was more important than fresh clothes. 

George really didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay in bed all day with Matty and kiss him and eat together and drink and read and whatever else they felt like doing. He knew he had to go, and soon, before Matty’s valet came to dress Matty for the ceremony. 

George stepped softly next to the bed and brushed some frazzled curls out of Matty’s face before pressing a kiss to his forehead. He inhaled the scent of his hair, as he always did because it was his favorite smell. A part of him felt like when he left today, he was leaving Matty forever, even though he wasn’t, not really. Perhaps he felt like this was the last time he would have Matty to just himself, as now there would be Lady Catherine in Matty’s life as well. 

Then, with a heavy heart, George slipped on his shoes and left, closing the door silently behind him.

.:.

Matty’s valet came to dress him earlier than usual. Which was good, in a way, because the two of them needed all the extra time they could get. Matty was quite ill this morning, and had rushed off to the bathroom twice while he was getting dressed. 

His valet was concerned, but didn’t say anything. Matty repeatedly blamed it on something he had eaten the night before, but really it was because the idea of his wedding was making him nauseous. 

Not necessarily the wedding though, as the ceremony itself wouldn’t be too terrible. It was just standing up in front of people and saying some words, which Matty was used to. What really disturbed him was the wedding night. Every time he tried to mentally prep for it, he felt like vomiting. The whole thing felt like a lie, not only to Catherine, but to himself. Especially with something like sex- something that shouldn’t feel like a lie, especially not on one’s wedding night, but yet here Matty was. He despised himself for it. 

Despite his clammy appearance, he really didn’t look too bad. The wedding clothes that had been made for him were very fashionable and comfortable. He bathed that morning as well, resulting in his hair forming soft shiny curls. His valet shaved him afterwards, but that only made his pale skin more noticeable. Hopefully people would think he was perspiring out of anticipation instead of what he was actually feeling. 

The ceremony was scheduled to be at eleven o’clock, and at a quarter till, his mother and sister came to get him. The valet had just placed his most elaborate crown atop his head, which had been polished for just the occasion. The strands of twisted silver gleaned from the light coming through the window, and the single gem in the center was sparkling. 

“Oh, look at you!” his mother exclaimed when she entered his bedroom and saw him. “You look wonderful.” 

Matty turned to greet them, putting on the best smile he could manage. The both of them were dressed wonderfully, their hair curled neatly and the enormous skirts on their gowns grazing the floor. “Thank you,” he said as he embraced his mother. He then turned to his sister. 

“You look alright, I guess,” Genevieve joked, accepting his hug happily. Leave it to his sister to be able to make him smile even when he was feeling his worst. She held onto their hug for a moment longer than was necessarily. Not that Matty minded; she was the one person besides George who understood the situation in its fullest. 

“Alright,” his mother clapped her hands. “It’s time to go, don’t want to be late. Matthew, you’re not going to believe how many people have turned up, I think you’ll love it-” 

“Mom,” Genevieve said when she noted how tense Matty was still feeling. “Perhaps you could give us a moment?” 

His mother blinked, looking at the both of them. 

“Just a brother and sister talk before he gets married,” Genevieve continued. “Go ahead and start walking, we’ll catch up on the stairs.” 

His mother nodded. “Don’t be long,” she reminded them, and then left the room. 

Genevieve held Matty’s sweaty hands as soon as they were alone. “Are you doing okay?” 

Matty shrugged. “I’m just hoping I don’t faint in front of everyone,” he sighed. “I’m just trying not to think about it.” 

Genevieve nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said, and she meant it. She wished her brother didn’t have to go through with this. “How’s George feel about all of this?” she asked. 

“He’s, uh, well it makes him sad,” Matty said. “We’re just accepting that it has to happen, you know?” 

“Right,” Genevieve nodded. “It’s going to happen.” She said that as if she didn’t believe it either. She watched Matty’s face for a second more, and then sighed. “I’m so proud of you, Matty.” 

He didn’t know how to respond. She may be proud of him, but that didn’t counter the way he felt about himself. “Thank you,” he mumbled quietly, and he kept his eyes on the floor. 

Her eyes ran over his face once more, and she tried to think of something she could say to make him feel better, but she knew there was nothing to be done. “Shall we go?” she asked. 

“Yeah,” Matty said, somewhat reluctantly. 

She released his hands, instead using them to pick up the front of her skirt. They walked together out of Matty’s room and down the staircase that led to the main part of the castle. Their mother was waiting for them at the bottom, as promised, and smiled when she saw them. 

“I can’t believe this day is here,” she squealed. “My son is getting married!” 

Matty ignored how his intestines swirled as she said that and refrained from replying. Instead, he smiled, although it probably came off as more of a grimace. 

The three of them walked across the second floor to the main staircase that opened up into the foyer. The closer they got, the more the chatter of people could be heard. Matty tried not to think about how many guests there actually were. 

The king was waiting for them there, dressed in a large embellished coat. He didn’t smile when he saw them, but then again he never did. Instead he stood up a little straighter and offered his arm to his wife. “It’s time,” he said, glancing at Matty. His look sent a clear message for Matty to not even dare to mess this up now. 

The four of them quickly descended the staircase together, which was decorated with golden ribbons and many bouquets tied to the handrails. With every step, Matty thought of George, and how much happier he would be feeling if it was him he was about to marry instead. He tried not to think about it, as he knew it wasn’t good to dwell on things one couldn’t have, but he was unable to stop thinking about what George would look like if he were dressed in a fancy suit like the one Matty was wearing now.

Echoing voices came from the Great Hall, where the guests had gathered, as it was now eleven o’clock and time for the ceremony to start. As they approached, Matty caught some lady’s maids watching him and his family from in front of closed doors. He knew that’s where the bride and bridal party were waiting for them to pass so that Catherine and Matty wouldn’t see each other. 

Matty and his family went around the side in order to avoid a grand entrance at the main doors, as that was reserved for Catherine. They walked to the other end, and that’s where they entered the Great Hall together. His parents went first, and there was excited muttering that came from the crowd as they entered. There was no denying the exhilarated energy that buzzed around the room. They sat next to Catherine’s parents, who were also sitting at the front.

Genevieve squeezed Matty’s hands, kissed his cheek, and followed their parents out to the front row. 

Matty took a deep shaky breath, but his lungs were tight. He placed his hands on the back of his neck, his fingers laced together, and squeezed his eyes shut. He just had to get through today, just a few more hours, and then… and then he’d be married. His heart sunk. 

He thought he may be sick again, but he tried to slow his breathing as he paced back and forth, and the nausea began to ebb. It was a good thing too, because at that moment, the music started. 

With one last breath, he collected himself the best he could and straightened his coat before walking out. A hush came over the room as he walked towards his place at the head of the aisle, and he did his best to stand tall and look happy. He passed his groomsmen, all of which were guards with the responsibility of looking over the ceremony to keep the prince and princess safe. There were five of them, all dressed in black suits. 

Matty stopped when he reached his place in front of the officiant, and placed his hands behind his back as he turned to face the large wooden doors at the other end of the aisle. 

The first thing he noticed were just how many people there were. Hundreds of eyes watched him as he stood there, and everyone dressed in their nicest clothes, whispering excitedly amongst one another. Matty didn’t even recognize one guest. Then again, this wedding was for the kingdom, not for him. 

The bridal party, all dressed in matching pink dresses emerged one by one. First, the flower girl, who was followed by five older women, all of Lady Catherine’s closest friends. Each followed the last in perfect synchronized steps. Their dresses gently dragged along the floor behind them as they approached where Matty stood.

Then, the music changed, and the masses of people all stood to face the back doors. When they opened, Catherine stood there in a magnificent dress and large bouquet of soft pink flowers in hand. She looked different from her normal self, her makeup and hair done in an ornate way that set her apart from the rest of the crowd. She looked superior to all of them as she came down the aisle, her large flowing dress making it appear as though she was on a cloud. 

As she got closer, Matty could get a better read of her expression. To his surprise, she looked as uneasy as he did. Her face looked pale, her eyes wide, and there was definitely a fake smile on her lips. 

For some reason, that made Matty feel a bit better. He wasn’t the only one in this arranged marriage, after all. 

Her walk seemed to last for ages, and Matty felt like time wasn’t moving at all, but then she was suddenly standing right in front of him, and he couldn’t believe it was actually happening. She handed off her bouquet to one of her bridesmaids and then faced Matty. 

She took a deep breath, and offered him a nervous smile through her veil. 

The officiator raised his hands, signaling for everyone to sit, and then asked for the bride and groom to join hands. 

Matty extended his hands to Catherine. She hesitated, looking first at his hands, then face, then his hands again. She took them in the end. Her hands were cold, unlike Matty’s which were uncomfortably sweaty. 

Just over her shoulder, Matty could see his parents sitting on the front row. His father was staring at him expectedly. The prince straightened his posture and returned his eyes to Catherine. 

She kept her eyes on his face, even when the officiant began the ceremony. She didn’t seem to be hearing the words that were said, but Matty wasn’t listening either. His thoughts had drifted to George, which made him feel better, as always. He missed him. 

When it came time for the bride and groom to say their vows, Catherine went first, and the officiant began the first verse of promises. Matty, who had been watching her face this whole time, noticed the sudden shift in her expression. Her eyes seemed to widen, as if she was just waking up from a haze, and she stood up a little taller. To his surprise, she let go of his hands. “I- I can’t do this,” she said, quietly enough for no one else to hear her. 

The officiant noticed her drop her hands though, and stopped speaking, looking at her for a moment. 

“I’m sorry,” she said to him, “I can’t-” she stuttered as she backed away, her eyes wide with fear and her voice shaking. Whispered mutterings had started in the crowd, all eyes on her as she backed away from Matty. “T-this isn’t right, I c-can’t do this.” She pressed her hands to her chest, which was rising and falling quickly as she breathed. “I’m sorry,” she said, much louder this time, and then picked up the billowing layers in the front of her dress and turned her back to Matty. Before he could process what was happening, she was already racing away. 

Commotion started as she began to leave the hall, people stood up and cried out as they watched the bride make her way out. 

Matty’s father stood up in outrage, his ruddy face turning an even brighter shade of red. He couldn’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that someone other than his son had ruined the wedding. 

The guests’ moods varied from angry to confused to upset, most of them standing and swiveling their heads from one end of the aisle to the other. Matty felt their eyes upon him, and suddenly felt silly for standing abandoned at the head of the aisle. 

Matty watched as his bride left the hall. He watched as his father and Lord Hillerton began to argue. He watched the guests converse frantically with each other. He debated for an instant about what to do, whether to go after her or not, but it only took him a split second to decide. He turned his back to everyone and left out of the door he had entered, and didn’t look back. 

Only one thought kept going through his mind, and of course it was George. Somehow, the quick turn of events had made him nothing but happier, and his pace quickened as the voices from the hall faded and his own voice inside his head strengthened, saying George’s name over and over. 

He ignored the surprised glances servants gave him as he hurried in the opposite direction of the wedding ceremony. George, George, he had to find George. Where was he?

The castle was too big to search him out, especially with all of the help his family had hired for the day. There were countless servants and countless rooms to search, half of which were downstairs, and Matty would definitely draw a commotion if he went down there. Plus, if Matty did happen to find George, there was still a large chance that there would be other people around. It would be noticed if the prince ran off to find a certain footman instead of getting married. Matty knew he couldn’t go find George, not right now. George would have to find him.

Matty knew George would hear about the failed wedding; no doubt that the whole country would hear before sunset. George would definitely know Matty had left the ceremony after that, and would probably go out in search of him. Where could Matty go where he knew George would find him? 

It came to Matty quickly. He ducked down a few halls, trying to avoid anyone that was coming so that no one would notice where he was going. The linen closet where he and George had originally met was exactly where he remembered it. He hadn’t been back since that first night he had invited George to come up to his room with him. 

He closed the door softly behind him, the deafening silence settling in around him. He sat himself on a pile of folded bedsheets and folded his knees to his chest. He placed his head in his hands, took a deep breath and waited. 

His mind whirred continuously. The crazy upheaval in the wedding had no doubt left a lot of people angry, including his father. There were countless guests left hanging, and all the food and decorations… He didn’t understand exactly why Catherine had done what she did, but he would forever be grateful for it. 

Time passed, but Matty had no way of measuring it. Maybe George wouldn’t remember, or maybe he wouldn’t come. Matty’s palms sweat nervously as his heart raced in his chest.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed, maybe an hour, maybe five minutes, but he jumped when the door to the closet opened. He looked up from the floor, hoping that it wasn’t some servant who had come across him accidentally. 

To his joy, it wasn’t. George stood in the doorway, dressed in his uniform, but he had a huge smile plastered across his face. 

Matty sprung to his feet, his heart soaring in his chest, and threw himself into George’s arms. George wrapped his arms snuggly around his back. It had never felt so comforting to be able to embrace each other. 

Matty didn’t want to let go, not for a long time. For now, he and George could be together, and that was all that mattered to him. He squeezed George a little tighter, and knew that he couldn’t be happier.

 

.:. Epilogue .:.

One Year Later

On a cold winter afternoon, Matty and George walked through the gardens of the castle together. Usually neither would like to be outside at this time of year, but the two simply wanted to spend time together, and the cold was nothing a few warm coats couldn’t keep out. 

The weeks following the wedding the previous winter were full of sorting out everything that had to be done now that Matty and Catherine refused to get married, no matter how much their parents begged them. Matty tried to take some of the blame away from Catherine, saying that the both of them were equally repulsed by the idea and never would have gotten married anyways.

He received a letter from Catherine on the day she and her family left the palace, explaining everything to him. She told him that she didn’t love him, and that she couldn’t bring herself to be okay with the fact that she was keeping Matty from someone he loved. They parted on good terms, and were still friends.

When Matty figured out that the Hillertons were going to leave and take their servants with them, Matty had quickly made an arrangement with Mr. Hillerton. Matty had complemented the man on his serving staff, and asked if he could keep a few diligent footman to work here at the palace. The man was happy to oblige, still feeling guilty for his daughter’s departure at the wedding. Thus, George was allowed to stay at the palace with Matty even after the Hillertons returned home. 

Matty had offered him a new job, one that wouldn’t require him to work in service, and George had agreed to it. He now lived in his own room in an upper floor of the castle, and he and Matty always ended up in one of their beds together to spend nights by each other’s sides. George ran a business, and that kept him busy during the days while Matty attended to his royal responsibilities. 

The months following the wedding had been an eventful one for the kingdom, as well. Matty’s father, furious over the broken agreement between the royal family and the Hillertons, had somehow managed to convince himself that everything that had happened was Matty’s fault. This included the failed wedding and the protests across the kingdom, as well as the growing schism between political parties. 

A month after the wedding, he had stepped down as king during a furious rampage, telling Matty to take responsibility for everything he had ‘broken’. Matty, as being next in line to the throne, had been sworn in as king soon after his father’s resignation at the age of twenty-three. 

The first few months of his reign had gone surprisingly well. He was more of a kind ruler than his father, and listened to the desires of his people. He had already passed three laws allowing more rights for gay persons like himself, although he was still not out to his people. That would take a lot more time. 

The last year had been a busy one, but the protests were subsiding across the country. The people were becoming happier with Matty as their king. 

All of the events of the past year together allowed for Matty and George to take walks in the garden like the one they were taking today. They could even hold hands for a while if they got far enough into the maze, which is what they were doing now.

“How was work today?” Matty asked as they walked along the dirt trail that led between bunches of rose bushes. The plants were so think and tall that there was no way anyone could see them in here, despite the fact that greenery was scare in the cold winter air. 

“It was fine,” George replied, “a bit busier than normal, perhaps.” He scuffed the heel of his shoe against the gravel. “I missed you.”

That made Matty smile a bit, and he pushed air through his nose. “You always say that,” he reminded him. 

“I always miss you,” George countered as he cast a sideways glance at the king. He then surprised Matty by gripping his arm and pulling him into a small concealed area between the bushes. 

“George!” Matty exclaimed out of surprise, laughing as the two of them left the trail and ducked into the brush. 

He didn’t reply, except he wrapped his large arms around Matty’s torso and pulled him close. “I haven’t been able to kiss you since this morning,” George said, tilting his head sideways as he looked down at Matty. 

Matty smiled bashfully, enjoying the way that George never failed to make him happy. “Well, are you going to kiss me?” he asked. 

George shifted his hips, glancing away as he pretended to be deep in thought. “I was thinking about it,” he said playfully. 

“Go on then,” Matty encouraged, tilting his head upwards in anticipation. 

Eagerly, George pressed their lips together and kissed him like he had been waiting all day to do. He sucked on Matty’s bottom lip and delicately ran his tongue along it. Matty responded by nibbling at George’s lip at the next chance he got. 

“So,” Matty said when their lips had parted. “What are your plans for the rest of the evening?” 

“Hm,” George hummed. “I was thinking of taking you upstairs.” 

“Yeah?” he replied, trying to coax more details out of him. 

“Maybe have a little bit of our favorite wine,” George added. 

“And then?” Matty played with George’s fingers, watching as their fingertips grazed each other’s, and then he looked up at George. 

There was no mistaking the dark look in Matty’s eyes, as it was one George knew all too well. “And then,” George said slowly, “well,” his cheeks tinged pink. He leaned in close to Matty, so much so that his lips grazed the king’s earlobe, and then whispered exactly what he wanted to do to Matty when they got upstairs. 

Just George’s words alone made Matty’s heart squeeze in his chest out of excitement, and he felt a rush of adrenaline surge through him. “Fuck,” he breathed, catching the taller man’s eyes as he pulled away. “Let’s go,” he said, wrapping his fingers tightly around George’s and pulling him back towards the castle. 

George followed behind him with a smile on his face. 

These days, Matty was happier than he had ever been. As he held George’s fingers tight between his own, he knew that there was nothing else in this world that would bring him more joy than George did, and he had forever to enjoy it. All was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone that's read all the way to the end! I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it. Until next time- xx
> 
> EDIT: October 15- a sequel is in progress:) again, the entire story will be finished before I begin uploading, but it is on its way! Keep an eye out for it!


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